Mad Progress

Final Draft: Facebook Diversity Debate

2009-12-30T20:26:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Note: this final draft (first draft here, second draft here) is being actively edited, and when completed will be published on the Qworky blog. Feedback is always appreciated!

Facebook's Data Team has released a study entitled How Diverse is Facebook? that has begot much analysis and criticism, first coalescing on the #FBDiversity tag.

The study's purpose is described by Facebook as part of their effort to be as open and connected as possible while working to understand how different populations of users join and use their service. Despite such lofty goals, the original question that brought about the criticism, first poised by Shireen Mitchell (@digitalsista), Beth Kanter (@kanter), and Allyson Kapin (@womenwhotech), is about flaws in their methodology. However, the charge, first made by Tracy Viselli (@myrnatheminx), that the conclusions "seem self-fulfilling prophecy ish" would hold more serious implications.

The methodology aspect is quite tricky, as Facebook does not request information on race as they do for gender. Cheri Mullins (@cherimullins) analyzed this in some detail within her post Facebook "Diversity" Study Fact or Fiction, explaining how "the Facebook Data team has skewed the results to be highly self-referential." The questions regarding the motivation of the study ask whether the data specifically answers a question "that has already been asked or assumed", which is Shireen Mitchell's rationale when referring to Tracy Viselli's self-fulfilling prophecy description as semi-correct.

The methodological issues are important, especially considering the broad conclusion drawn that Facebook's user demographics nearly mirror that of the U.S. population. Moreover, the criticism and skepticism has everything to do with the potentially alarming research from danah boyd (@zephoria), which paints a very different picture of diversity within Facebook. In her speech on The Not-So-Hidden Politics of Class Online, she explained:

It wasn't just anyone who left MySpace to go to Facebook. In fact, if we want to get to the crux of what unfolded, we might as well face an uncomfortable reality...What happened was modern day "white flight." Whites were more likely to leave or choose Facebook.
...
MySpace has become the "ghetto" of the digital landscape. The people there are more likely to be brown or black and to have a set of values that terrifies white society. And many of us have habitually crossed the street to avoid what is seen as the riff-raff.

boyd's warning about this "digital migration" is a stark contrast to the more techno-utopian depiction from Facebook. The draft of her forthcoming article, White Flight in Networked Publics? How Race and Class Shaped American Teen Engagement with MySpace and Facebook, further compares the social media landscape to the historical dynamics of segregation.

Within her response to the Facebook Data Team's study, boyd discussed how although the data does correlate with what she has seen in the field, the focus on access misses the divergence in how different groups are using and experiencing the service. The Facebook depiction does not address the impact racial and ethnic backgrounds have on social media usage, and the resulting limitation on the extent to which users will interact with a diverse set of other users because of it.

However, boyd also professed disappointment that academics began critiquing the Facebook study while not first "appreciating the glimpse that we get into the data they get to see." Indeed, the open study did also spark public dialogue on the issue, and their treatment of this uncomfortable subject does show a willingness to further address it.

Yet if boyd is right that racist and classist attitudes are shaping digital media, action must be taken to shift the debate. If the internet will ever reach its democratizing potential, industry leaders and the social media community at large need to accept and address these serious issues.

Draft Post Take 2: Facebook Diversity Debate

2009-12-28T13:55:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Note: this is the second draft (first draft here) of a post to be published on the Qworky blog. Feedback would be much appreciated!

Facebook's Data Team has released a study entitled How Diverse is Facebook? that has begot much analysis and criticism, coalescing on the #FBDiversity tag.

The purpose of this study is described by Facebook as part of their effort to be as open and connected as possible while also working to understand how different populations of users join and use the social network. The original question that has made way for such vehement criticism, first poised by @digitalsista, @kanter , and @womenwhotech, relates to problems with the study's methodology. Furthermore, the question (first asked by @myrnatheminx) of whether the conclusions "seem self-fulfilling prophecy ish" is being assessed in light of this as well.

The methodology aspect of this study is quite tricky, as Facebook does not request information on race as they do for gender. Cheri Mullins analyzed this in some detail in her post Facebook "Diversity" Study Fact or Fiction, and asserts that there is a "highly self-referential" nature to the study through its skewed results. This is why Shireen Mitchell (aka @digitalsista) partially agrees with the self-fulfilling prophecy argument from Tracy Viselli (aka @myrnatheminx), as the data answers a question "that has already been asked or assumed."

The issues with the study are particularly important to assess given the broad conclusions that Facebook has apparently drawn from it, including:

They have always been diverse yet diversity has increased significantly over the past year to the point where users nearly mirror the diversity of the overall U.S. population
Hispanics are 80% as likely to be on Facebook as White users
Black users are as likely to be on as Whites
Asian/Pacific Islanders are much more likely to be on Facebook than White users.

These broad conclusions are all further questionable in light of danah boyd's speech during the Personal Democracy Forum entitled The Not-So-Hidden Politics of Class Online. Her research has achieved vastly different results, and her charges are damning to the supposedly diverse and inclusive nature of Facebook:

It wasn't just anyone who left MySpace to go to Facebook. In fact, if we want to get to the crux of what unfolded, we might as well face an uncomfortable reality...What happened was modern day "white flight." Whites were more likely to leave or choose Facebook. The educated were more likely to leave or choose Facebook. Those from wealthier backgrounds were more likely to leave or choose Facebook. Those from the suburbs were more likely to leave or choose Facebook. Those who deserted MySpace did so by "choice" but their decision to do so was wrapped up in their connections to others, in their belief that a more peaceful, quiet, less-public space would be more idyllic.
...
MySpace has become the "ghetto" of the digital landscape. The people there are more likely to be brown or black and to have a set of values that terrifies white society. And many of us have habitually crossed the street to avoid what is seen as the riff-raff.
The fact that digital migration is revealing the same social patterns as urban white flight should send warning signals to everyone out there. And if we think back to the language used by teens who use Facebook when talking about MySpace, we should be truly alarmed.

In this context, it is no wonder that Mitchell thinks that the Facebook Data Team's study has everything to do with boyd's Myspace to Facebook white flight theory. The question at hand is how we can work to constructively fix these problems as the revolution of communication that Facebook is part and parcel of continues.

Draft Post: Facebook Diversity Debate

2009-12-22T14:10:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Note: this is a draft of a post to be published on the Qworky blog. Feedback would be much appreciated!

Facebook's Data Team has released a study entitled How Diverse is Facebook? that has caused a firestorm of analysis and criticism---coalescing on Twitter through the #FBDiversity tag.

The purpose of this study is described by Facebook as part of their effort to be as open and connected as possible while also working to understand how different populations of users join and use the social network. However, the original question that has begot such vehement criticism, first poised by @digitalsista, @kanter , and @womenwhotech, relates to the study's methodology and their motivations behind it. In fact, the question (first asked by @myrnatheminx) of whether the conclusions "seem self-fulfilling prophecy ish" is being increasingly assessed as the findings are further digested.

The methodology aspect of this study is quite tricky, as Facebook does not request information on race as they do for gender. Cheri Mullins analyzed this aspect of the study in detail in her post Facebook "Diversity" Study Fact or Fiction:

The primary method of identifying users as a given ethnicity or race for the study is by a user's reported last name. This methodology is based on the correlation of last names to self-reported ethnicity or race in the US Census statistics. Short of actually asking users to self-report their data, this approach seems reasonable. (I'll say a bit more about why I favor self-reporting later.)

However, what Facebook refers to as a mixture-modeling technique seems a bit sketchy. By their definition, they "back solve" for name based on ethnicity. This is recursive: one has to know a variable (in this case, race or ethnicity) in order to use it as a given. Certainly, using this back-solving method to cross-check data is valid. If one assumes that the makeup of Facebook does, indeed, parallel the (self-reported) ethnic and racial makeup reflected in the Census statistics, then determining whether study data correlates with the Census data is a valid data point to verify the categorization assumptions of the study. However, by both reporting correlation with the Census statistics as a result and using the same statistics to "refine" the statistics, the Facebook Data team has skewed the results to be highly self-referential.

The "highly self-referential" nature of their results seems to push conclusions to the "seems self-fulfilling prophecy ish" camp. If they are using an unabashedly flawed data set, then what is the purpose of this study? The purpose is particularly questionable given the broad proclamations that Facebook draws from their flawed data set, such as:

They have always been diverse yet diversity has increased significantly over the past year to the point where users nearly mirror the diversity of the overall U.S. population
Hispanics are 80% as likely to be on Facebook as White users
Black users are as likely to be on as Whites
Asian/Pacific Islanders are much more likely to be on Facebook than White users.

The motivation behind asserting such broad conclusions is further questionable in light of danah boyd's (@zephoria) speech during the Personal Democracy Forum discussing The Not-So-Hidden Politics of Class Online. Her research has achieved vastly different results than those from the internal study in regards to Facebook users vs those on MySpace, and her charges are damning to the supposedly diverse and inclusive nature of Facebook:

It wasn't just anyone who left MySpace to go to Facebook. In fact, if we want to get to the crux of what unfolded, we might as well face an uncomfortable reality...What happened was modern day "white flight." Whites were more likely to leave or choose Facebook. The educated were more likely to leave or choose Facebook. Those from wealthier backgrounds were more likely to leave or choose Facebook. Those from the suburbs were more likely to leave or choose Facebook. Those who deserted MySpace did so by "choice" but their decision to do so was wrapped up in their connections to others, in their belief that a more peaceful, quiet, less-public space would be more idyllic.
This dynamic was furthered by the press, an institution that stems from privilege and tends to reflect the lives of a more privileged class of people. They narrated MySpace as the dangerous underbelly of the Internet while Facebook was the utopian savior. And here we get back to Kat's point: MySpace has become the "ghetto" of the digital landscape. The people there are more likely to be brown or black and to have a set of values that terrifies white society. And many of us have habitually crossed the street to avoid what is seen as the riff-raff.
The fact that digital migration is revealing the same social patterns as urban white flight should send warning signals to everyone out there. And if we think back to the language used by teens who use Facebook when talking about MySpace, we should be truly alarmed.

boyd's speech paints a very different picture of Facebook than their data team's study suggests. Rather than an environment proportionally diverse to the U.S. population, it is one growing as an "idyllic community" free from the "riff raff" in MySpace, and such predispositions are being internalized by our country's youth in an alarming fashion.

In this context, it is no wonder that Shireen Mitchell (aka @digitalsista) says that she thinks that the Facebook Data Team's study has everything to do with boyd's Myspace to Facebook "white flight" theory...

Yet despite the seemingly cause and effect nature of boyd's research and the Facebook Data Team's study asserting opposing conclusions merely months later, is it too much to charge that this was enough of an impetus for Facebook to issue a study with a self-fulling prophecy in mind? Moreover, even if they did, how much of an issue is it?

Despite her views on the flawed nature of their methodology, Mullins argues that there is a positive outlook to take from this study. She applauds their efforts to collect this data, and notes that "the 2010 Census data and adoption statistics that are current and more accurately reflect current Internet access capabilities and trends will provide better data against which to verify future studies."

However, if this is to be but a first step in Facebook's efforts to assert and/or achieve a diversified and inviting community, there is much more work to be done. As Mullins explains:

Ultimately, though, I wonder why Facebook does not simply add an optional (and optionally public) profile statistic for Facebook users to self-report ethnicity and race. If the options are identical to the 2010 Census options -- and identically described, one would expect to obtain results that are directly comparable to the Census statistics and therefore a better indicator of whether or not Facebook is representative of the population at large. Furthermore, Facebook could could provide users with an option to allow this statistic to be used only in cumulative reporting or also in reporting in conjunction with other demographics, which would facilitate a significant depth of data for analysis not only by Facebook but but other social networking researchers. I believe Facebook has work to do here in defining exactly what the purpose of their study is and how best to collect their data.

Instituting a program to self-report race seems like a logical next step for Facebook to take if they truly want to be as open and connected as possible---quite the contrast from acting as a safe haven for those engaging in white flight to escape the riff raff from other more diversified and inclusive social networks. No matter what though, they have more work to do, and despite any pitfalls at least this study acknowledges that they recognize the importance of diversity and inclusiveness within their network.

Hopefully the #FBDiversity effort alerts Facebook to the groundswell of desire for them to achieve their stated goals. Furthermore, it should act as a message to them that posturing will not suffice in a world rapidly becoming increasingly connected and diversified, and that if they sincerely wish to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem, they will have strong allies in all of us!

Government and the Arts

2009-07-13T16:45:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

On my last day in DC this past week I found myself at the Smithsonian American Art Museum per a suggestion from Alan Rosenblatt (@drdigipol). Upon entering hte museum, I found myself eccstatic to see an exhibit entitled 1934: A New Deal for Artists. This is in large part because my father has long been one of the foremost scholars and collectors of the WPA arts programs, and unsurprisingly he has quite enjoyed a book covering the exhibit that I bought for him.

Furthermore, the knowledge I have gained from my father's passion has made me increasingly convinced that such funding of the arts is essential in today's comprable environment, making me look to such exhibits with a much keener eye. This money would be allocated as but one aspect of a new New Deal that I also believe must be established, as the importance of providing job assistance to artsts, writers, and anyone unfit for physical labor is quite integral. Government assistance should go to both the working and creative classes, and we can look to successful New Deal programs such as the Federal Arts Project as a corrollary to today.

I am hopeful that the organizations and individuals promoting a "Green New Deal" consider the need for more artistic elements to permeate as well. It would not only create jobs for a suffering part of the economy, but it will express the pain and agony of a country whose government has--once again--turned its back on them in a manner in which no policy paper could compare.

21ST CENTURY ACTIVISM IN ACTION: BLOGGERS FIGHT FOR PUBLIC OPTION

2009-07-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

It’s been incredibly encouraging to watch the blogosphere’s fight for the public option’s inclusion in major healthcare reform. Observers have been able to watch prominent progressive bloggers flex their muscles, and their increasing influence is made manifest by their newfound capacity to rapidly push forward the development of new tools and strategies.

One element of this that has me particularly psyched about the evolution of activism is the Public Plan Whip Tool which Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake has been heavily promoting. This tool correlates to the very successful effort to push members of Congress to vote against the Supplemental Appropriations Act, as they have utilized a crowdsourced effort to call every member repeatedly to both lobby for the cause and document their current position on it. The action’s page makes it easy for anyone to participate by providing concise messaging and the congressperson’s contact information, and the large pool of information is relayed into charts providing day by day and blow by blow updates of where these members of congress stand. At least 1,200 different people participated in the “citizen whip count” for the Supplemental Appropriations Act, and the effort for the public plan continues to go strong on Day 12.

Because of these early successes, I was surprised by the timing Chris Bowers’ post calling for a “new strategy on constituent phone calls to congress” yesterday afternoon. After all, there is only so much time even the most dedicated activists have available to spend on activism such as phoning a congressperson, and Bowers is quite blunt in his criticism of the status quo.

the bottom line is that constituent phone calls to members of Congress have mainly become an astroturf operation by corporate interests designed to skew perception of public opinion and further right-wing economic legislation. It is yet another aspect of our government that has been almost thoroughly corrupted.

Progressives should consider changing tactics. Instead of making phone calls to members of Congress, perhaps we should start campaigns to mail hundreds of copies of comprehensive, non-partisan polling analysis to every congressional office. Instead of making phone calls, perhaps we should turn instead to placing media requests that ask questions (ala our stand with Dr. Dean campaign). Or, perhaps when we make phone calls to Congress, our calls should focus on reminding congressional offices that most of the calls they receive are corporate astroturf.

Whatever we do, we can't allow the status quo to continue. We will lose to the billions of dollars in corporate money every single time.

Bowers does not explicitly cite the Public Plan Whip Tool in the post, and he responded to my email about it by emphasizing that he is not disagreeing with Jane about tactics. In fact, he states that he’s working with her to continue to adopt new strategies. I had been expecting him to denounce large scale blogosphere powered efforts to phone bank, but his passion for reforming these practices instead of replacing them was evident when he discussed its importance in relation to the Progressive Block. Bowers explained that both he and Jane have a shared desire for a dramatically increased focus on calling progressive members of Congress to urge them to vote against Democratic legislation unless specific demands are met. This flies in the face of the current phone banking strategy of attempting to lobby swing members of congress, and it holds great promise since progressives “never convince these swing voters to side with us” anyways. As Bowers argues, the status quo is so ineffective that “the Democratic Party leadership often encourages them to vote against us and heavily funded conservative organizations always place more phone calls”. Ending such encouragement that ensures the maltreatment of progressives is precisely why he is so vociferously seeking help to build the Progressive Block, and this development would have an impact far beyond phone banks.

Furthermore, as Bowers emphasized during our exchange, these strategies and tools can, indeed, “work in concert with one another”. I found this explanation to be extremely satisfying, as I believe wholeheartedly that continued and enhanced coordination between both of these efforts is absolutely essential. In fact, I see a direct corollary to Matt Stoller’s seminal post on Open Left calling for a closing of the rootsgap that separates Democratic politicians and their activist base. When used in concert, these two tools can do much in that regard, as they connect a coordinated block of progressive activists with a self-identified Progressive Block of legislators through the phone lines.

If we are to get the literally life or death issue of healthcare right, we need every progressive on the ground, in media, and in political office on the same page. Here’s hoping we can leverage FDL’s new tool and Open Left’s new strategy to help do just that!

Accountability Now MUST run a primary against Arlen Specter

2009-04-29T13:08:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

I have been a major fan of the Accountability Now PAC ever since I first heard rumblings of its creation during the height of the Fisa Fight. This is in large part considering they describe themselves like this:

Accountability Now is an organization built around a single guiding principle: challenging the institutional power structures that make it so easy, so consequence-free for Congress to open up the government coffers for looting by corporate America while people across the country are losing their jobs and their basic constitutional rights while unable to afford basic health care.

Anyways, I am writing this post believing that some of the most prominent members amongst the network of progressive bloggers that make up this coalition (including me) must already be discussing their quickly developing plans to launch by publicly announcing our goal to oppose Arlen Specter in a Pennsylvania Democratic primary battle. A variety of of these prominent bloggers have already been openly discussing supporting a primary against Specter, but they have been curiously silent about the prospects for Accountability Now to make him our main target. However, Accountability Now's suggestions page is empty still, but there is an email address posted soliciting for such suggestions.

Just in case I really am the first person to decivisely make this connection (or at least the first to blog about it), I sent an email to Accountability Now which I am pasting in its entirety below:

I am hoping that many of these messages are flooding your inbox right now! Many prominent Accountability Now bloggers have been openly advocating a primary for Specter, but I'm hoping they go all in and begin openly advocating for him to be the main target for Accountability Now.

He certainly would be the most news-making opponent to go after, and the timing couldn't be better to announce such support! Furthermore, his flip flop on the Military Commissions act and support of the repeal of habeus corpus couldn't be a more important---or timely---issue to jump out in front of with the release of the torture memos! The MSM loves conflict...and man would they love a story about open warfare between the base dems and the feckless dem leadership! Even if we get villified, it will keep the issue of torture in the news and it will provide a tooooooon of pressure on Specter to move leftwards. Plus, it'd be quite the display of netroots power that might force establishment news pundits take pause and realize how quickly they are falling behind in the media space amongst the most engaged citizens (on both sides of the aisle)!

I'm not even really asking----this is so perfect that it must be done and I am presuming talks are rapidly moving forward to make sure this is the case. Please though, when the decision is made, let me know and we can talk more about what I am planning on doing to help!

Even if I am the first to suggest this openly and vociferously (highly doubtful, but it'd be cool if I'm the first to blog about it), I really do believe this is so perfect that it has become a necessity. When it does occur, I will post more about how I can utilize my activism in various capacities and my media work the WYOU TV station (which airs my program Mad Progress TV) in particular to help this integral cause!

Ask the President About Accountability!

2009-03-23T22:12:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Ask the President is a new service developed by The Nation, The Washington Times, and the Personal Democracy Forum that lets you vote on what question you would like to "ask the president". It's still very new, but there are certainly indications that this kind of project will succeed at having the winning question really asked of President Obama during a press conference. As a matter of fact, this kind of project has already been successful, as a very similar enterprise on Obama's transition website Change.gov had their winning question asked by George Stephanopoulos.

The winner of that contest was a question about whether Obama would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate things like torture and warratnless wiretapping, and it was poised by Bob Fertik at Democrats.com. Especially in light of this kind of early success, I am very excited to support them in similar efforts and will be doing all I can to convince other student activists to do the same!

The next Obama press conference is this Tuesday, and Democrats.com has a new question they are working on this time:

To vote for the question, simply click the green hand button at the top of the screen. It's also very easy to post the link in you Facebook profile and have everyone checking your news feed see it, and I hope that you send it out to any Facebook or Google Groups you are a part of that have poeple who may be intersted in helping!

This is an incredibly easy way for activists like us to help a cause we care about, yet it could have a major effect. Even if Obama tries to hedge if this question is asked, it will become more and more difficult for him to do so each and every new time it is poised. I think we all agree that Obama needs to be pressured MUCH more about ensuring accountability for those who have decimated our democracy, and this is a quick and easy way to help out.

1 in 4 Americans already believe that the Bush administration committed war crimes, and some of our country's most respected lawyers are openly calling for President Bush to be prosecuted for murder. This is an extremely mainstream issue that needs much more attention, with even more evidence seen in how, when polled, 71% of Americans already believe there should be an investigation by either criminal prosecutors or an independent panel into the actions of the Bush administration. As the Washington Post's Dan Froomkin argues, our nation really was ruled as a "secret dictatorship", and now we need to both rapidly accept what happened and act accordingly.

It may not seem like much, but taking part in a campaign like this can really make that big a differnece if we can successfully break the silence and bring this into the public discourse! Just think, if 1 in 4 already believe Bush committed war crimes, what will happen when there are--finally--investigations and open prosecutions revealing the horrors of what we have done?

Our Spring Break speeches

2009-03-19T06:09:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Yesterday we held our press conference for Our Spring Break out by the capital where I had the opportunity to be introduced as "Our Spring Break's inspiration". Definitely corny, but it is undeniably satisfying as an activist to know that my work and words are appreciated. Plus, it was more than a treat for me to be able to meet David Swanson who spoke right after me. I'm definitely very hopeful that I can work with him (and everyone else who has taken part in Our Spring Break) long after this event, and we'll be utilizing the Break Silence wiki specifically to ensure it!

Anyways, below you'll find the text of the speech I gave describing our motivations for the event:

On April 4^th, 1967—a year to the day before his assassination—Martin Luther King delivered a speech entitled Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence, a speech whose words perhaps ring truer now than even in its own time.

We here today see within King’s far too seldomnly referenced words a vision for our country; a diagnosis of the societal ills that continue to hold us back; a method to achieving his dream.

Yet his prescribed way towards societal redemption remains so controversial, that to this day we still have yet to reconcile the true meaning of his words, much less the fiery controversy that ensued upon his utterance of the

On the day marking the beginning of the last year of his life, King expressed—without equivocation—that "A time comes when silence is betrayal. He called out that that time had come for us in relation to Vietnam. Today, we call out that that time has come for us in relation to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Just as he observed then, we must give voice to the voiceless; we must search to understand the arguments of those we call “enemy”. We must not take the easy way out, we must not engage in non-resistance against active dehumanization. Yet like King, we are left “as deeply concerned now about our own troops there as anything else”.

Then and now we recognize that “We are adding cynicism to the process of death”. This is because our soldiers, as King professed, “must know after a short period there that none of the things we claim to be fighting for are really involved”. And indeed, our soldiers do know. Yet still they die, knowing their country would have them give their life for a lie.

That day, King declared that “we must be prepared to match actions with words by seeking out every creative method of protest possible.” Today, that prescription remains more true than ever, and I am proud to say that we are working in accord with his dictum. We strive to utilize to the fullest any and all of the new media technologies that we have at our disposal. Such innovative tools aid the match of our actions with words in an effort to amplify what we say, to fortify the actions that we take, and to make the ongoing amnesia regarding King’s call to Break Silence more difficult to maintain.

Yet why are we redoubling our efforts? Why do we push forward amidst the ongoing transitioning of the anti-war movement; amidst a period of change for the country and world at large?

The source of this inspiration also, naturally, links back to King. Like Vietnam in his time, Iraq has become, as he said: “but a symptom of a far deeper malady within the American spirit A malady of our country’s spirit that allowed the rise of the horrors seen in Vietnam then, in Iraq now, and likewise, perhaps , if not now, soon in Afghanistan…

In order to heal this malady, King charged that “we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values”. This revolution of values would be demarcated through our “shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society.

As King did, We recognize that--without a doubt--a person-oriented society would never let the most patriotic among us die, generation after generation, amidst such cynicism. A person-oriented society would never let our veterans live—and suffer—alone as they struggle to make peace with what they were compelled by our government to do. Most of all, such a society would never condone the active betrayal of our country’s troops. And make no mistake—there is an ongoing betrayal of our country’s best and our brightest; a betrayal occurring despite their blatant exploitation by cynical politicians; politicians who personally profited off their suffering in order to continue an illegal and immoral war.

Then as now, we find ourselves “confronted with the fierce urgency of now”. As he said then and as it remains true today, we must “recapture the revolutionary spirit and go out into a sometimes hostile world declaring eternal hostility to poverty, racism, and militarism.”

Hostility to a society that has made the youth of our country watch—in slow motion—as we make the same mistakes of a generation past. Mistakes we were actively learning about in history books. Mistakes that have led to far too many of our fellow students to fight, and die, while knowing it was all for a lie. Mistakes that make dedicating a spring break towards fighting to truly achieve King’s dream—more than worthwhile.

Beyond Iraq, this is a time to Break Silence!

Thank you very much

Civil Disobediance at the Pentagon for Our Spring Break

2009-03-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

I learned an awful lot about non-violent direct action this morning during the first action I was able to attend for Our Spring Break. The action was taken by the Council for Nonviolent Resistance and it included about 10 middle aged activists who walked willingly into an arrest amidst their attempt to deliver a letter to our secretary of defense. We met up with them early this morning where I was able to film a few short interviews. Here is one participant describing her involvement:

Here is another great discussion I had with an older woman who describes this event and grassroots activism at large in the context of her past activism during Vietnam:

After we had finished we took the metro and got off at the Pentagon stop. Despite my foreknowledge that I was not going to remotely risk arrest it was still a nerve wracking experience watching this commence amidst heavily armed officers. My nervousness quickly dissipated though shortly after the soon to be arrestees engaged the police who had asked to see an entrance badge if they were to move forward. It was clear that we were with them, and the police asked us to walk behind a short fence into the “free speech zone”. Ironically, this grassy area also happened to double as their “Sept. 11th Memorial Garden”. Such a set up could only be created in a post-Patriot act America, that’s for certain!

Anyways, as the police’s requests for the activists to move continued to be denied they began issuing warnings that they would soon be arrested if they did not comply. This acted as a signal of sorts as they all simultaneously sat down, refusing to stand up and then going limp when the police attempted to lift them. This action also seemed to act as a signal for the reinforcements to come in, as at least 10 Pentagon police officers zoomed to the scene on foot and motorcycle. As they were being carried off, an African American officer walked up to us and began quite an intriguing conversation that I do not believe I will be forgetting any time soon.

He began his engagement by telling us that he was severely against the escalation in Afghanistan. I was surprised by his honestly, as I was not expecting a policeman on the scene to be able to have such an honest discourse in this kind of scenario. He came up to us with purpose though, as he very apparently and very honestly was trying to find out what it was that we thought we were accomplishing. He was presupposing that such an action was useless if not counterproductive, and he did, indeed, have a point. His question of whether we think “[Secretary of Defense Robert] Gates really knows” about what was occurring had an obvious answer (absolutely not), but he made an even better point about the perceptions of such an action.

The officer kept on repeating the point that those watching considered the activists who had just been arrested to be “Freakos”, and that their direct action merely would reinforce the negative stereotypes in the minds of onlookers. He repeated the term Freakos so many times that I quickly came to the conclusion that it must be accepted jargon for activists taking part in such displays at the pentagon, regardless of its negative implications. However, the officer also made the specific and surprising point that he often saw employees of the pentagon stop and read banners and signs of protesters in the free speech zone. He even described seeing people shake their head and walk up and shake the hands of those in the memorial garden. I did not expect to hear an honest—especially a positive—assessment of such activities, yet I do not entirely agree with his premise that such actions are entirely counterproductive.

Below is another video interview we had with Gordon Clark and my fellow Our Spring Breakers Yael and Adam. Within it we went over some more of the specifics of what we had just gone through, as well as began to delve into the question of the effectiveness of such actions:

I often harp on the problematic nature of activism that reinforces stereotypes of activists as “dirty hippies”, and this event was a vivid display of all the inherent problems with such activism. However, as I described to the officer, there is a difference between civil disobedience predicated on gaining people power versus that aimed at personal empowerment. Perhaps these activists wanted to be arrested—regardless of whether it convinced even one person—as it made them feel better about themselves. Such a thought process would be part and parcel of their doing something they believed in despite paying a personal price to do so (as a matter of fact, they wanted to pay such a price).

Although...considering the degree to which such an action can reinforce all of the worst negative stereotypes of dissent, I left asking myself how and whether or not we should judge these activists and this kind of activism? In the end, all of us need to look ourselves in the mirror at night, and if that is what they were doing, then they were clearly doing what they had to do. Furthermore, those inclinations would deserve the respect earned by anyone standing up for their beliefs against the odds. However, if their motivations were less personal in nature, and included such things as bragging rights, popularity, or even a sense of superiority, then this certainly would not apply. They would be harming the movement through a selfish desire at self-aggrandizement. Selfish actions are still selfish even if they exact a personal price. However, likewise, if it was a largely unselfish action that was merely poorly planned, that certainly would not deserve any sort of scorn either.

In the end, I do not consider myself remotely capable in this instance to cast blame or decide this one way or the other. I commend their actions today at least, as even if the only thing they did was cause me to consider nonviolent direction action even more deeply it was a valuable experience for me at least. However, I would be the one acting selfishly if I do not act on what I have learned in this situation and work to ensure that such actions do not run such a risk of counter-productivity. Fortunately for my personal capacity of looking at myself in the mirror, this is precisely my plan, and if I am successful at all I hope that I can help as many others as possible on the way as well!

UPDATE: I have recently started corresponding with one of these activists--Pete Perry--about this action in particular in the context of the larger issues I referenced in this post. Pete rightfully pointed out that I was perhaps overly harsh, especially in light of this event achieving media attention through the AP wire. Pete posted his perspective about the action on his blog, but stay tuned as we have been discussing cross-posting and other ideas about how we can further expand on the utility of this action in particular. This project will be designed to be part of a larger discussion about how we can make non-violent direction action more effective, and we could definitely use more voices in this integral discussion if you are interested in taking part!

My Spring Break at "Our Spring Break"

2009-03-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Well I have once again descended upon Washington, DC (the second time in a matter of weeks after Power Shift) for Our Spring Break---the anti-war alternative Spring break I have helped coordinate as a member of Campus Progress' Iraq committee---and while traveling I have been mentally going over why I am so motivated for such a trip. By definition, Our Spring Break is not the a stereotypical Spring Break for a college student, but I am left without a shadow of a doubt that this is exactly what I would like to be doing this break.

You could not possibly tempt me right now with a sunny beach or a sight seeing adventure or even down time on a comfy couch. Yet I do not consider myself to remotely be an aberration of a college student, rather, I believe that I am entirely a typical college student who has been lucky enough to have had the life experiences to make me both appreciate and recognize the world around me.

One of these primary experiences of mine has been my ability to learn about and work with Iraq war veterans who are now against the war. When you speak to these true patriots, you feel a sinking feeling inside amidst the recogntion that all of our tax dollars and tacit complicity contributed to their ongoing troubles. It is our country's collective complicity that has led to more of our soldiers dying from SUICIDE than in combat, it is our shame that 1/5 of our veterans suffer from PTSD or major depression, and it will be our burden to take care of the new generation of homeless veterans that are already in desperate need of our help.

When you learn of such things or witness the expression of them first hand as I did during Madison Winter Soldier you can't help but be changed. All of a sudden you recognize the litany of things that we take for granted in this life, and you feel a profound empathy for those whose very patriotism has brought them to such dire straights. Following such a profound realization, the "typical" college Spring Break activities seem like extravagencies, as far too many of our country's bravest men and women are left only dreaming for a typical sort of life.

Then again, I don't mean to knock sucking the marrow out of life and living it to the fullest. It would denigrate that which our soldiers fight for to give up on our personal happiness. But for me, there is no where else I would rather be right now, as it is precisely my knowledge that I am doing my part to ensure that this NEVER happens again that will make the good parts of life that much sweeter!

Mad Progress TV: Breaking the Silence on Alternative Energy

2009-03-15T21:53:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

On this episode of Mad Progress TV entitled Breaking the Silence on Alternative Energy I interview Nate Toth, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War and clean energy advocate. In this half hour episode we discussed how Nate's time in the Navy colored his feelings about climate change in light of the emphasis placed on guarding oil pipelines amidst their knowledge of how Iraq did not pose the sort of threat our politicians were claiming.

I highly suggest you check it out, and definitely let me know what you think!

Obama's Weekly You Tube Address

2009-03-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

From the White House blog:

In this week's address, President Barack Obama makes key announcements regarding the safety of our nation's food.

"We are a nation built on the strength of individual initiative. But there are certain things that we can't do on our own. There are certain things that only a government can do. And one of those things is ensuring that the foods we eat, and the medicines we take, are safe and don't cause us harm."

Watch Your Weekly Address below to learn more about the President's measures to make the food that lands on America's dinner tables safer.

Check it out below:

You're Welcome America airs tonight!

2009-03-14T10:56:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

A broadway performance from Will Ferrell as George W. Bush. What else needs to be said? Well, a dual interview of Bush vs. Bush from Ferrell in this promotional video probes that question and finds that anything Ferrell does in this character just might immediately become legendary:

In Their Boots road trip

2009-03-13T11:54:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

I just received the following facebook message from the In Their Boots Facebook group from Sandra Keats about the upcoming In Their Boots road trip. I'm a huge fan of their show and an even bigger fan of ensuring veterans get more media coverage (which I've been trying to do on my WYOU community access/web video program Mad Progress TV), so I'm looking forward to covering this and taking part as directly as I possibly can!

Here's a copy and paste of the Facebook message, and check out past episodes here:

Hello Friends of IN THEIR BOOTS!

I am pleased to announce that IN THEIR BOOTS is hitting the road for a 10-month national tour to highlight Iraq and Afghanistan veterans’ stories and explore ways to improve care for our service members and their families. Our first stop is in San Francisco, Saturday, March 21, 2009!

Last year, IN THEIR BOOTS produced 12 documentaries and garnered substantial media coverage in its effort to raise awareness for the sacrifices service members, veterans, and their families are making as our country continues to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Here is a summary of our work from 2008: http://intheirboots.blip.tv/#1847450.

In 2009 we are set to produce 10 more documentary films, and we are taking them on the road. We will premiere one in a different city each month for the rest of the year. Join us in San Francisco to kick off the national tour with the premiere screening of "Broken Promise"—the story of three Iraq War vets who fell through the cracks of the system, and the Northern California program that saved them. Here is a sneak preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viu0Avyy2MA

The Details:
Saturday March 21, 2009
2-4 PM
The Roxie Theater
3117 16th St
San Francisco, CA 94103

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion led by Fred Gusman, the founder of the Pathway Home. Mr. Gusman will be joined by veterans from his program, as well as other experts from veteran service organizations to discuss how The Pathway Home model can help the VA to better serve veterans who struggle with mental health.

The event is free and open to the public. Due to limited seating an RSVP is required, but does not guarantee admission. For more information and to RSVP please contact:

Nathan Havey
IN THEIR BOOTS
www.intheirboots.com
310-204-0448 x231
nhavey@bravenewfoundation.org

We look forward to seeing you there!

Heading to DC for Our Spring Break

2009-03-13T11:29:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

I am headed to our nation's capital for a Campus Progress sponsored anti-war alternative spring break entitled Our Spring Break this Monday, and saying that I am merely excited would be quite the understatement! I have been working with the lead organizers on this project as a member of the Campus Progress Iraq committee for a few months now, and especially after meeting them in person I have been convinced that Robby Diesu and Paul Blasenheim in particular are going to become increasingly integral youth activists for the progressive movement moving forward.

Granted I was just in DC a few weeks ago for Power Shift, but that phenomenal event (which I will be writing more about in the days ahead) only got me more psyched to get back there and continue organizing the ambitious new media projects I have been working on. Power Shift, unlike any other youth organizing project I have been a part of, truly embraced new media as a way to engage and motivate the 12,000 students who were able to make it (and countless more following from home). I was able to take part through a web-video project entitled Break Silence that I have been working on for some time now, and this gets me back to why this trip will be such a boon for everything I've got going on.

The Break Silence project is very wide and high reaching, and I am hoping it can develop enough to encompass the giant and unacceptable gap that exists between student activism and the phenomenal online organizing occurring throughout the internet (especially within the progressive blogosphere). It is more than unfortunate that the activists with the maximum amount of time to participate and the most knowledge of new media are not being engaged for the most powerful and important progressive activism going on in the country, and I'm hoping to do my part to fix this problem!

I'll be blogging much more about this in the coming days as I attempt to utilize Our Spring Break as a case study for how this can be accomplished, so stay tuned!

March 8th edition of Forward Forum

2009-03-06T15:41:00.000-08:00

Social justice and the involvement of young people will be a common thread on this week's Forward Forum, airing at 2pm on Sunday on WTDY, Madison 1670 and streaming live at wtdy.com .

Dennis Graham with Launchpad join us to tell us about an upcoming high school band competition at Waunakee High School. Launchpad is a statewide, alternative music competition for Wisconsin high school students who are in bands formed outside of the traditional music classroom ensembles. Launchpad and other Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) programs help young people discover and expand their full music potential. The program raises money for Wisconsin schools and the winners get a gig at Summerfest, record a CD and a Les Paul guitar. See http://www.launchpadwisconsin.org/ .

Longtime co-host Harry Waisbren, just back from Washington, joins us to discuss his latest adventures in broadening activist connections between campus and community.

And then John and Stephanie will open up the phones for you to discuss the pressing issues of the day nationally and locally. Please join in our discussion by calling 321-1670.

And be sure to return to our blog for archived links to recent past shows atwww.forwardforumexchange.blogspot.com .

See you on Sunday!

Gov. Jindal is Kenneth the Page!

2009-02-25T22:00:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

The evidence is piling up. Jindal really is Kenneth the Page from 30 Rock, although I'm not sure Kenneth is even as likely to believe he successfully exorcised a demon from a college friend.

However, Jimmy Fallon had Kenneth on tonight, and after seeing the video, there is no other conclusion to draw except that Saturday Night Live NEEDS to run with this. Check it out below:

Partisanship and American Jewry

2009-02-15T11:52:00.000-08:00

By Kiera Wiatrak

(Harry: Kiera is a close friend of mine and one of my favorite journalists to debate these complex and emotional issues with, and I consider it a privilege to publish her work here on Mad Progress!)

My mom always told me I did everything early. I was speaking in five word sentences before I was two, I became a defiant teenager at eleven and was over by it by thirteen, and my metabolism stopped letting me eat whatever I wanted in middle school rather than high school.

But the most substantial thing I did early was become an ignorant political activist. While a lot of people wait until they’re in college to find someone to idolize and some cause to mimic without doing the necessary but tedious reading and research, I did it in high school.

I found a teacher I adored and became a bleeding-heart liberal overnight, even though I probably couldn’t have even told you the difference between the house and the senate.

Some of the issues were easy, like gay marriage and abortion rights.

It was so easy to have convictions, and a lot of fun too. At 17, I decided to have them about everything liberals are supposed to have them about, as long as the time taken to acquire them didn’t interfere with prime time television.

I enjoyed my newfound intellectualism for a while, but eventually, I came across the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Much to my dismay, I discovered that siding with the Palestinians was essentially the liberal thing to do.

This shook me. As a proud American Jew, Israel has always meant something to me. I’ve been learning about it from textbooks since I was a little girl, not to mention the unequivocal stories of family and friends that continue to captivate me.

During an interview in his Madison home, UW-Madison Chabad Rabbi Mendel Matusof highlighted two key reasons why this may have come to be the case.

“Israel has always survived due to the IDF,” he says. “That’s a very Republican idea of your survival being based on your army, and having tremendous amounts of military strength.”

The second and more transparent reason thrives on historical inaccuracies that give the impression that Palestinians are the underdog.

“Right now this is the situation: Israelis have a strong army and a strong military. The Palestinians don’t,” he says. “Israelis can destroy Palestinian homes and so on and the list goes on and on.”

But thousands of years of global persecution of the Jews, culminating in the Holocaust during World War II, was proof enough for the U.N. that a central safe haven for the Jews was essential. And with the rising anti-Semitism across Europe and elsewhere as time distances the horrors of the Holocaust from upcoming generations, a Jewish safe haven is still more than necessary.

At 17, I had encountered the political paradox of the American Jewry. While most American Jews identify as Democrats—according to an American Jewish Committee poll, 63 percent of American Jews identify as Democrats while 83 percent voted for Obama in the 2008 election —the notion of advocating Israel as a Jewish nation is largely a right wing ideal.

Clearly, in November’s presidential election, the Democratic identity won out. However, Emily Singer, president of MADPac, a bi-partisan student organization at UW-Madison that works to strengthen the United States-Israel relationship, pointed out that the influence of the Israel lobbyists and the advantages of having a strong ally in the Middle East would prevent any presidential candidate from fighting against Israel’s right to exist.

“I think it was pretty clear to people who know about American politics. . .that both candidates were good for Israel because no American president can really run on a platform of being anti-Israel or not agreeing with Israel’s politics,” she said.

Yet although both candidates may have shown support for Israel while campaigning, Matusof and UW-Madison political science professor Nadav Shelef pointed out that the approaches each may take relative to their own parties when dealing with the tension between Israel and other Middle Eastern countries could influence an American voter to vote Democrat or Republican.

“Probably one of the key divisions in American Jewish society is what they think is actually good for Israel,” he says. “Jews who think. . .leaving Israel alone or not pushing it to disengage in the territories makes Israel stronger may be likely to vote one way. Jews who think it’s in Israel’s best interest to withdraw from the territories, that that actually makes Israel stronger in some sense, may vote another way.”

Below is Israeli Political Science Professor Nadav Shelef of the University of Wisconsin discussing the differences between Democrats and Republicans concerning Israel:

UW Chabad Rabbi Mendal Matusof adds to Shelef's point about the varying opinions in regards to Israel in the video below:

However, some Jews felt since secure that both candidates would support Israel and therefore focused more on other issues when deciding who to vote for.

“To me, it was like yeah, even though I care about Israel, I think the domestic issues in America are far more important because it’s not like Obama is going to stop talking to Israel or anything like that,” Singer said.

Matusof agreed. “McCain and Obama both had perfect scores from AIPAC,” he said. “Therefore, that became an irrelevant issue, and then the debate became on American politics and all their other policies.”

But Singer, who identifies as a liberal, said that if Israel had been the only issue at stake, she still would’ve voted for Obama. “I agree with his methods in dealing with the Middle East because I think diplomacy and negotiation is more important and can be more useful than war.”

In the video below Singer discusses the problems with the terms “pro-Israel” and “pro-Palestine”:

Like Singer, I also voted for Obama. But if I had been voting only for Israel, I’m not sure I would’ve made the same choice. Like many other American Jews, I felt the U.S. alliance with Israel would be strong under any administration, and Obama’s policies on most other issues was more consistent with my political beliefs than McCain’s were.

But when it comes to Israel, although I hope one day we can find a peaceful two state solution, I’m still more comfortable knowing their military is strong and ready to fight.

I know that’s very Republican of me, but maybe I’m more of a Republican when it comes to Israel and a Democrat when considering most everything else.

Like Matusof said, I do feel a very vital connection to Israel. But for me, it’s not really a religious connection. It’s more of a traditional one. It’s the spirited Jewish culture I grew up with. It’s knowing that my ancestors regained their lives in Israel after the Holocaust. It’s the Israeli exchange student who lived with us for a year. It’s my brother’s Bar-Mitzvah on Mount Masada. And yeah, there’s a little bit of fear in there too.

So I am the embodiment of the American Jewish paradox, and that’s because like most people, my political self is more than just a Democrat or a Republican. It’s an accumulation of my values, my upbringing and the person I hope to become. Maybe if we could all put aside our party affiliations, we might learn to advocate and criticize those things that mean something to us, rather than to our parties.

Will Ferrell's Bush on Broadway

2009-02-15T11:29:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Will Ferrell has brought his Bush skit to Broadway in You're Welcome America: A Final Night With George W. Bush, and I couldn't be more excited to see it! It'll be on HBO soon enough for those of you who can't make it, and you can check out a clip below:

Dunk Contest Away!

2009-02-15T11:04:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

For some non-political entertainment for your post Valentines' day relaxing Sunday, check out some clips of the NBA Dunk contest last night (via Huffington Post). Ya gotta love it!

Is Jeb Bush Criticizing Rush Limbaugh?

2009-02-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Think Progress provides some evidence that W's brother Bush may be making some noise about Saint Rush. If this really is the case, insanity just might reign even more violently on the GOP!

If it's not, then Jeb may just be guilty of hypocrisy...Shoot, a Bush a hypocrite...maybe it's far too early to get excited about this one.

Dan Akroyd nails John Boehner

2009-02-15T10:56:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Dan Akroyd nostalgically returns to SNL to help utterly mock the Congressional Republicans who decided that obstructionism on the stimulus was the way to go. Check it out below:

Get Afghanistan Right

2009-01-29T15:43:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Get Afghanistan Right is a very exciting campaign from Brave New films that I will be watching closely. The effort "oppose[s] military escalation in Afghanistan and support[s] non-military solutions to the conflict", which is particularly important considering British commanders even are openly arguing that Afghanistan is unwinnable. Even our Republican Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has been spelling out some of the same worries from Get Afghanistan Right.

Check out the video below from the Rachel Maddow Show discussing the effort, and get involved!

Why is Making Fun of Waterboarding ok?

2009-01-29T14:55:00.000-08:00

Conservative media figures just find torture to be a hoot! Check out Bill O'reilly and Dennis Miller touting "Waterboarding World" (via Think Progress):

In Their Boots webcast 23

2008-12-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

Jeffrey Lucey joined the US Marine Corps Reserves in December 1999 while attending Holyoke Community College. He was 18 years old. Three years later he was driving a convoy through the desert during the initial invasion of Iraq. While he returned home physically unscathed, Jeff was mortally wounded, suffering from PTSD/combat operational stress. "Jeffrey slept little, ate little, was restless, hyper-vigilant, confused, angry, and frustrated," say his parents, Kevin and Joyce Lucey. "[He was] isolated in his mind, wracked with guilt, sadness, depression, rage; he was panicked, desperate, hopeless, overwhelmed, and full of rage, wanting to talk and yet at the same time wanting to be silent." Jeffrey went to the VA twice for help, but didn't get the care he needed. On June 22, 2004, 23-year-old Jeffrey Lucey decided he could no longer live with himself and took his own life. While his struggle has ended, his family's is far from over.

Grit TV Live: Chicago Workers Occupy Factory, Question Bailout

2008-12-08T14:25:00.001-08:00

Barack Obama has said that Chicago workers who have occupied a factory are "absolutely right" to demand "benefits and payments that they've earned." Today GRITtv talks to New York Times labor reporter Steven Greenhouse, Mark Meinster, an organizer for the United Electrical Workers Union (UE), and Melvin Maclin, Vice President of UE Local 1110 on the Republic Windows sit in and why they're not buying the bailout. Followed by an interview with HOWARD ZINN.

Amy Poehler does Secretary of State Clinton

2008-12-07T14:02:00.001-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Ya gotta love it:

Meet the Bloggers for Dec. 5

2008-12-06T13:18:00.000-08:00

The recent Black Friday tragedies at Wal-Mart in New York and Toys "R" Us in California may finally help break the spell of mindless consumerism and rampant commercialism. We're taking up that cause this week on Meet the Bloggers with Rev. Billy and Savitra D of the Church of Stop Shopping and the documentary What Would Jesus Buy? They will join host Cenk Uygur and blogger Latoya Peterson (NewDream.org) to discuss ways of avoiding sweatshop purchases, staying out of the malls and the big box stores, and how to put more meaning into the holidays without putting more stuff under the tree.

Alarmingly, 90% of what's purchased this holiday will end up in a landfill within six months. And with Americans carrying more than $2.59 trillion in consumer debt, it's time we started celebrating a happy, cruelty-free, sustainable holiday. Check out the material below and join us this Friday on Meet the Bloggers to let the celebration begin.

Reverend Billy & The Church of Stop Shopping
What Would Jesus Buy?
The Average Household Spent $1,760 on Clothes in 2007 -- Here's One Way to Cut Back -- Stan Cox, CounterPunch
Wal-Mart Shoppers Trample and Kill Jdimytai Damour, Keep Shopping -- Baratunde Thurston, Jack & Jill Politics
Center for a New American Dream
Credit Card Nation
Co-op America Responsible Shopping

Nov. 30th edition of Forward Forum

2008-11-30T13:31:00.001-08:00

By: John Quinlan

On the Sunday, November 30th, 2008 Forward Forum (airing from 7-9pm on WTDY 1670am and streaming live at www.wtdy.com):

* Panel of LGBTQA Youth Explore Meanings Around the Holocaust
* Analysis and Perspective on the Violence in Mumbai from UW Professor of South Asian Studies Joe Elder
* Post-Election Reflections on how "The Real Work Begins Now," -- how young people and new media tools will continue to play an ongoing role in advancing social change--with co-host Harry Waisbren, just back from Washington, DC

In our 7pm hour

* LGBT history comes alive for youth; young people reflect on the meanings behind the exhibit "Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals: 1933-1945."   We'll be joined in studio and by phone by several high school age young people who helped to organize the exhibit, who will share their perceptions about what it's meant to them in the here and now to learn about this history, as one GSAFE leader put it, "the ultimate expression of the hatred behind bullying."

A traveling exhibit of the US Holocaust Museum brought to Madison and Wisconsin by the Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools (www.gsaforsafeschools.org), this powerful exhibit documents the treatment of gay people in Nazi Germany before, during and immediately following the Holocaust. The exhibit's overarching theme is "From Hate to Hope," and through the exhibit, and a diverse series of associated events, those who have attended have left the experience with a sobering look at the homophobic manifestation of man's inhumanity toward his fellow man. At the same time, many have also left with a newfound resolve to work for a world that transforms memories of that time of extreme hatred into hope and understanding--all the while placing current events in perspective.

As noted below, the exhibit continues in the lobby of the UW-Madison's Memorial Library (entrance across from the University Bookstore on the State Street Mall) through December 10th. A special closing ceremony will occur on Saturday, Dec. 6th at 7pm co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Council at Temple Beth El, 2702 Arbor Drive.
(Arbor Drive runs parallel to Monroe Street, one block south.) Highlights will include a return performance by renowned pianist/activist Adrienne Torf and Cellist Karl LaVine of Torf's original composition, which movingly evokes the complicated meanings and emotions behind the history depicted by the exhibit, and the movement for LGBT liberation that followed. (Seewww.adriennetorf.com .)

Another highlight of the Dec. 6th closing event will be a presentation by award-winning author Lev Raphael (www.levraphael.com ), a gay Jewish man who is the son of Holocaust survivors. An extremely prolific author of both fiction and non-fiction, his recent books include, "Coming out of Shame: Transforming Gay and Lesbian Lives," (co-written with Gershen Kaufman).  Openly gay Olympic swimmer Greg Louganis writes, "With its emphasis on building self-esteem and developing intimacy, this book will nurture the soul of our community."  Rafael, the son of Holocaust survivors, is the author of almost two dozen books, including "Journeys & Arrivals: On Being Gay and Jewish." He has also recently written, "Stick Up For Yourself!", and its accompanying teacher's guide, described at "the ultimate resource for any kid who's ever been picked on at school, bossed around, blamed for things he or she didn't do, or treated unfairly."

For more information on Lev (and links to his weekly radio show), go to www.levraphael.com.

Also joining us are GSAFE staff people Brian Juchems and Tim Michaels, who along with E.D. Cindy Crane and countless volunteers, have worked tirelessly over many months to bring this exhibit to Madison in a way that has provided an educational and uplifiting experience--grounded in their joint mission of conveying the program theme of "From Hate to Hope." It's the latest in a series of shows we've devoted to this subject, including last week's two part panel discussion. See our archives off of the podcast page at www.wtdy.com for a replay of this and other recent programs. You can also re-experience the exhibit's opening ceremony through our Forward Forum audio highlights page at www.johnquinlan.net/exhibit.html .

Then at 8pm

We'll be joined by Joseph Elder, UW-Madison professor of South Asian studies, who will help place recent events in Mumbai, India into perspective. Among other subjects we'll explore is the effect of events like these on UW students studying abroad.

Special note from Forward Forum host John Quinlan: these events have had a special resonance with me, having spent extensive time walking the streets of south Mumbai on a life-changing 1989 trip to India with my mother, who was returning there for the first time, 35 years after her four year experience there as a missionary/teacher. Resonant memories include our first night's dinner in a restaurant at the Taj Hotel, and a visit to the Gateway of India arch (where the terrorists allegedly landed), where one of our hosts did extensive work in mentoring the homeless boys who lived in its shadow (some of whom had been evicted from their homes when their parents suspected they were gay). Please keep all affected by these tragic events close in your thoughts and prayers in days to come.

Later in that hour -- an open phones discussion with John and co-host Harry Waisbren, continuing our ongoing theme of discussing ways that the grassroots and new media work that began with election must continue now. Harry is just back from Washington, DC where he's been networking with a variety of progressive and student-based organizations determined to keep working for positive social change.

Forward Forum, airs Sundays from 7-9 pm, on WTDY 1670 am. Website: www.forwardforum.net. Blog: www.madprogres.com . Email: ForwardForum@aol.com . Host/Producer John Quinlan: 608-213-8409. Studio lines: 608-321-1670 local and 1-877-867-1670 toll free nationwide.

Jane Hamsher on The Rachel Maddow Show

2008-11-26T10:22:00.001-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

One of my very favorite bloggers--Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake--was on The Rachel Maddow Show last night. She talked about the blogosphere's major victory (that was acknowledged by mainstream media even) in preventing Josh Brennan, an ardent supporter of "enhanced interrogation techniques", illegal rendition, and warrantless wiretapping, from running any intelligence position in the new administration. However, this win came amidst a loss with Bush Defense Secretary Robert Gates retaining his position despite his actions during Iran Contra amongst many other indiscretions.

Check it out below:

Nov. 26 edition of Grit TV: Is There a Cure for AIDS?

2008-11-26T09:34:00.000-08:00

December 1^st is World AIDS day. With the Bush administration on its way out there is hope that we might begin to think big about preventing and even curing AIDS. What’s the best way forward? Investing in science or communities? Or both? Today on GRITtv journalist and author Linda Villarosa, activist and editor of POZ Laura Whitehorn, Dr. Jeffrey Laurence, and Rep. Barbara Lee discuss recent breakthroughs in AIDS treatment and what they mean for policy.

23/6 Liberal Ad: Thank YOU Sarah Palin!

2008-11-26T06:57:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Please Sarah, for comedians and bloggers everywhere, don't go away!

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

Conservative Our Country PAC has put out a new TV ad, just in time for Thanksgiving, thanking Governor Sarah Palin for running for vice-president and representing their conservative point of view. We liberals feel it's high time that we too thanked Sarah Palin for running for vice- president.

I couldn't agree more. And they didn't even mention the great SNL she brought us too!

Nov. 23rd edition of Forward Forum

2008-11-23T12:22:00.000-08:00

By: John Quinlan

This is John Quinlan, for Forward Forum, airing Sundays from 7-9 pm on WTDY, 1670 am, and streaming live and podcasting at www.wtdy.com . Join me, co-host Harry Waisbren (who blogs about our show and related issues at www.madprogress.com), and producer Stephanie Woods (who hosts "Sunday Night Live," at 6pm, immediately preceding our program) for a thought-provoking discussion linking history and current events with a universally powerful message.

On this week's show: a focus on how a remarkable exhibit entitled "Nazi Persecutions of Homosexuals 1933-1945" has enriched the greater Madison community in surprising ways--transforming depictions of a dark time in human history into a community-building experience filled with new understandings and new hope. Sponsored by the Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools (see www.gsaforsafeschools.org), this traveling exhibit from the US Holocaust Museum (in the lobby of the UW-Madison's Memorial Library until December 10th) has been the catalyst for a whole series of events, culminating in a special closing ceremony on Dec. 4th. That ceremony will include the reprise of an original composition, written specifically for the occasion, by renowned pianist Adrienne Torf, and a keynote speech by the award-winning scholar and writer Lev Rafael, the son of Holocaust survivors, and the author of almost two dozen books, including "Journeys & Arrivals: On Being Gay and Jewish."

We're privileged to be hosting a number of special guests, who will provide a historical context and other insights regarding the resonance of the exhibit with current events. They'll also explain the story of how the exhibit's trip to Madison and associated events came to be, and why it's had some especially powerful effects on all who've seen it, especially young people. We are also attempting to offer a brief update on developments nationwide in response to California's anti-gay Proposition 8, and related events in other states. Our final guest list is still a work in progress; see our website atwww.forwardforum.net on Sunday for an updated listing, and further information about the exhibit, and our guests.

In our 7pm hour, we'll be joined by GSAFE Executive Director Cindy Crane, GSAFE board member and exhibit organizer Jenny Pressman, and, on the phone from San Francisco, composer/pianist Adrienne Torf. We'll hear more from Cindy Crane about the genesis of the exhibit's visit to Madison, including the response that young people have had to its messages. (We're hoping to hear directly from some of these young people on next week's show.) Jenny Pressman will also share how her own family history has been intricately connected to the legacy of Holocaust survivors. Then Adrienne Torf (accomplished pianist, and longtime collaborator with other women artists, including women's music pioneer Holly Near and poet June Jordan), will discuss why she has been inspired to travel twice to Madison this fall, and how her original composition evokes both the darker truths of the exhibit, and the transformative power of coming out, story-telling, and other inspiring aspects of the LGBT experience. (For more on the impressive body of Adrienne Torf's life work as a musician and cultural activist, go to www.adriennetorf.com.)

Then in our 8pm hour, we'll be joined by UW history department program specialist John Tortorice, Department of German Professor James Steakley, and Miami University of Ohio Associate Professor Erik Jensen (who received his doctorate from the UW-Madison in 2003). John Tortorice has been instrumental in securing the UW as a venue for the exhibit, and has long been supportive of efforts to capture LGBT history locally and internationally. He and our other panelists will reflect on the legacy of the late UW History Professor George Mosse, John's life partner, a Holocaust survivor himself, who was among the world's top scholars on issues surrounding the Holocaust, and its intersection with issues of both Jewish and gay identity. James Steakley is also a world-renowned expert on the experience of gays in Germany in the first half of the 20th century, and has mentored dozens of young scholars who have gone on to do groundbreaking work in this area, including Erik Jensen.

Countless individuals and organizations have supported bringing this exhibit, and its associated events, to Madison, and we apologize that we aren't able to involve everyone in studio. However, whether you helped organize this event, or you've been moved by its appearance here, we encourage your participation by calling us at 321-1670 or toll free 1-877-867-1670.

The exhibit and other events are ongoing; while the exhibit is open for people to tour on their own, docents are available to lead tours of the exhibit on weekday evenings (except Fridays) and Saturday afternoons. For more information about a series of powerful films, other events, and the closing ceremony, go to www.gsaforsafeschools.org or call 608-661-4141.

Nov. 21st edition of Meet the Bloggers

2008-11-23T12:09:00.000-08:00

November 21st on Meet the Bloggers

Today's Episode has been pre-recorded so there will be no live blog during the show. You can watch "What we eat is making us sick!" in the player on this page right now. The next episode of Meet The Bloggers will be in two weeks, Friday December 5th. See you then! Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

Obesity is on the rise and Type 2 diabetes cases nearly doubled in the last 10 years. For the first time in decades, the life expectancy of children born in this century is actually lower than their parents. What's the number one culprit in this crisis? Food. Meanwhile, food safety is spotty. The U.S. lacks a comprehensive "farm to table" food inspection process. That's why the Centers for Disease Control estimates there are 76 million cases of food borne illness each year!

What we eat is making us sick! To find out why -- and what we can do about it -- join food scientist Marion Nestle this Friday on Meet the Bloggers. Nestle is the author of What to Eatand a professor in the Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health Department at New York University. We'll also chat with filmmaker Catherine Gund, director of the upcoming documentary What's On Your Plate?, along with the two young subjects of her film, 7th graders Sadie Hope-Gund and Safiyahi Riddle. Then blogger Kerry Trueman (Huffington Post,Eating Liberally) shares some not-particularly-appetizing information about the traditional holiday turkey, and we'll visit our local farmers' market to learn why we should eat locally and seasonally.

The next episode of Meet the Bloggers will be available beginning Friday, November 21. Check out some of the articles below and fight the food policies that have failed us with your knife and fork!

What to Eat -- Marion Nestle
Time to Mothball the Butterball -- Kerry Trueman, The Huffington Post
Finding the Best, Local Food Near You Just Got Easier -- Tara Lohan, AlterNet
Dear Mr. Next President -- Food, Food, Food -- Michael Pollan, The New York Times
Diabetes Rate Doubles Over Past 10 Years in the U.S. -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Obama Offers Ambitious Plan in Weekly Radio Address

2008-11-23T12:02:00.000-08:00

The Huffington Post reports on the major news Obama delivered in his second youtubed weekly radio address:

President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday outlined his plan to create 2.5 million jobs in coming years to rebuild roads and bridges and modernize schools while developing alternative energy sources and more efficient cars.

"These aren't just steps to pull ourselves out of this immediate crisis; these are the long-term investments in our economic future that have been ignored for far too long,"

Sign me up!

Grit TV: Why Prop 8 Won

2008-11-11T16:45:00.000-08:00

Check out the Nov. 11th edition of Grit TV below:

As the United States elected its first African-American president it also passed ballot initiatives in a number of states that ban gay marriage and limit the ability of gay couples to adopt children. According to Richard Kim, Associate Editor of The Nation Magazine, the no on 8 Campaign failed for three reasons. It was disorganized and slow to respond. It didn’t organize in communities of color soon enough. And it fundamentally misunderstood what the yes on 8 campaign was about. You can read Richard’s article on why prop 8 won at The Nation.

Activist and author Jewelle Gomez, Rev. Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou author of the forthcoming book Gods, Gays, and Guns: Religion and the Future of Democracy, and Alexander Robinson CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition discuss the role of the black church in organizing around prop 8 and why activists were unable to defeat the measure. There are protests planned throughout the country on November 15 and a demonstration on Wednesday, November 12 at the Mormon Temple in New York City at 6:30 pm. You can find out more about what's going in your city or town at join the impact.

Can we be rid of Lieberman already?

2008-11-11T16:11:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Brave New Films is out with a new video emphasizing that Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) is no progressive and should be stripped of his Chairmanship of the powerful Homeland Security committee (which he could use to investigate a president Obama). Regrettably, an effort ot ensure this is necessary considering that the democratic Senate Majority leader Harry Reid is acting like a Lieberman apologist. Check it out the video below:

As Jane Hamsher writes at Fiderdoglake, the case against Lieberman is extremely strong:

He said that "Obama has not always put country first."
He thought it was a "good question" to inquire whether Obama is a Marxist.
He misleadingly accused Obama of having "voted to cut off funding for our troops."
He repeated the claim that "Hamas endorsed Obama" and said it "suggests the difference between these two candidates."
He sent out an email for McCain, referring to the "Democrat" Party, the derogatory term of art preferred by the most partisan Republicans.

Furthermore, Think Progress is out with a new report that documents "Lieberman’s significant shift to the right in both foreign and domestic policy". Check out a few excerpts below:

– Said Investigating Response To Katrina Would Be Playing ‘Gotcha’:Lieberman said he was not interested in “looking back, and assigning blame would be a waste of Congress’ time.” Lieberman said he was reluctant to mount an investigation of the failures of the initial response, saying “We don’t want to play ‘gotcha’ anymore.” [Chicago Tribune,1/20/07]

– Claimed That A Progressive Economic Stimulus Would Lead To A Depression: Speaking at Dartmouth University, “Lieberman compared Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama’s economic plan to former president Herbert Hoover’s approach, which he said ‘turned a recession into a depression.’” [The Dartmouth, 10/24/08]

– Supported Attorney General Alberto Gonzales To The Bitter End:Reacting to Gonzales’s resignation, Lieberman commented, “The Attorney General’s resignation removes a distraction from the important work of the Department of Justice,” but added, “As he leaves public service, the Attorney General deserves our appreciation for his work for our nation.” [Senate Website, 8/27/07]

– Suggested That Obama Could Be A Marxist: When asked if Obama is “a Marxist as Bill Kristol says might be the case,” Lieberman replied, “Well, you know, I must say that’s a good question.” [Fox News, 5/14/08]

If you want to help ensure that Lieberman is held at least partially accountable--or at least ensure that he will not be able to rediscover his love of investigating an Obama administration after years of abject negligence--use the web tool below:

Nov. 9th edition of Forward Forum

2008-11-09T14:52:00.000-08:00

By: John Quinlan

This is John Quinlan, host of Forward Forum, for co-host Harry Waisbren and producer Stephanie Woods. As the world celebrates the election of our new president, it's time to reflect on a sobering, yet empowering, basic truth: Our Real Work Begins Now.

Join us this Sunday, November 9th, from 7-9pm Central Time (WTDY 1670 am and streaming live atwww.wtdy.com) on Forward Forum for a wide-ranging panel discussion as we revel in this history-making victory. At the same time, we'll be reminded of the need to not only support the new president, but to continually remind him of the American people's longing for positive social justice change, as a means of holding him and the new Congress accountable. In the face of a still all-too-powerful extreme right wing political and media establishment, the task will be daunting. However, unlike many past campaigns, this one was grounded in a movement that managed to use new media and other interactive tools to mobilize millions of people. The campaign has ended, but the possibilities inherent to continuing to energize the people behind the movement for positive social change is now about to be realized.

Our full panel is still being assembled as of press time, but will include many of this community's leaders who have worked toward this day. And we hope to involve you as well--please call us at 321-1670 to join in on our conversation. (See www.forwardforum.net on Sunday for a further update.)

And on the eve of Veteran's Day, we'll be placing a special emphasis in our 8 pm hour on the ongoing cause of peace. Guests include Vietnam Vet and activist Will Williams and other representatives of the Madison Area Peace Coalition.

Last week, Joanne Bland, a veteran of the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March, and a frequent visitor to Madison, reminded our audience that "we've come so far, but we still have so far to go." She and so many others in this country have persevered at times when there was no reason to believe that the forces of prejudice and greed would not win out. The change that has resulted in the election of the nation's first African-American president took decades to accomplish--though thankfully within the lifetimes of so many who thought they would never live to see the day when it became so. Ms. Bland was cautious, but joy-filled, on the eve of electoral victory. But, thinking back to the heady days around the 1965 passage of the Voter's Rights Act, she also reminded us that it's in such a victory that our real work begins, that the struggle for civil rights and social justice is and always will be an ongoing one.

In a week that was bittersweet for many of us in the LGBT communities, with apparent defeats for gay rights in California and several other states, I take solace in the knowledge, derived from the experience of my African-American brothers and sisters, that with perseverance can come victory. It's so clear to me that the reasons for this week's gay rights defeats were grounded in age-old misconceptions and fears exploited on behalf of a larger far right wing agenda. That makes them something can be overcome. Like other movements before us, we've come so far, but we still have a distance to travel.... and this is an issue we'll be revisiting repeatedly in weeks to come.

Congratulations to all of our many listeners whose hard work contributed to this week's victories, as well as those resolving to refuse to let the week's defeats stand. As we move into this new era, take a moment to contemplate the words of our new president last April 4th in invoking the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King's inclusive vision of social and economic justice. Speaking in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on the 40th anniversary of the death of Dr. King, Barack Obama said:

Part of the problem is that for a long time, we’ve had a politics that’s been too small for the scale of the challenges we face. This is something I spoke about a few weeks ago in a speech I gave in Philadelphia. And what I said was that instead of having a politics that lives up to Dr. King’s call for unity, we’ve had a politics that’s used race to drive us apart, when all this does is feed the forces of division and distraction, and stop us from solving our problems.

That is why the great need of this hour is much the same as it was when Dr. King delivered his sermon in Memphis. We have to recognize that while we each have a different past, we all share the same hopes for the future – that we’ll be able to find a job that pays a decent wage, that there will be affordable health care when we get sick, that we’ll be able to send our kids to college, and that after a lifetime of hard work, we’ll be able to retire with security.

They’re common hopes, modest dreams. And they’re at the heart of the struggle for freedom, dignity, and humanity that Dr. King began, and that it is our task to complete. You know, Dr. King once said that the arc of the moral universe is long, but that it bends toward justice. But what he also knew was that it doesn’t bend on its own. It bends because each of us puts our hands on that arc and bends it in the direction of justice.

So on this day – of all days – let’s each do our part to bend that arc. Let’s bend that arc toward justice. Let’s bend that arc toward opportunity.

Let’s bend that arc toward prosperity for all. And if we can do that and march together – as one nation, and one people – then we won’t just be keeping faith with what Dr. King lived and died for, we’ll be making real the words of Amos that he invoked so often, and “let justice roll down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Please join us this week and in week's to come as we continue to draw inspiration from those who have gone before us, while growing in the realization of the collective power of our own potential.

Nov. 9th edition of Sunday Night Live with Stephanie Woods

2008-11-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

I am very excited to tune in to Stephanie's show tonight at 6 pm, as she will be interviewing a dear friend of mine who has been more inspirational to the work I am doing than I could possible express. I met and got to know Mitra Jalali when we partnered through Campus Progres to work on a True Cost of War Iraq rally for the Iraq/Recession campaign. I can honestly say that the event would not have happend without Mitra, as there is no one else that I have met who is more knowledgable about campus activism, and both her tenacity and sunny optimism were essential to bringing this event to fruition. I was upset that I met her so late that this was to be the only event we could work on, and I firmly believe that the city of Madison as a whole lost a great asset when she graduated. However, in consolation for the loss for our city and the personal loss to those who miss her, Mitra has become an even brighter light for us to follow.

Mitra currently has taken it upon herself to teach disadvantaged and troubled kids who have been rocked by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. I firmly believe that this is amongst the most patriotic acts of anyone in the country, and being able to learn about this experience, much less speak to her about it, has been a wholehearted inspiration for me.

It is imposssible for me to do justice in describing what her experience has been like in my words, which is why I couldn't possibly reccomend Mitra's blog Badger Fems enough:

This is my uncut, unapologetic account of life in Teach For America/at Schwarz Alternative Middle/High School (or, as we refer to it, Schwarz Academy). I teach 10th grade social studies, but it's really more like 9th, 10th, and 12th grade, because they tend to put all the kids in one class with me since everyone is so far off their grade level in ability. Schwarz Academy is an alternative school for students expelled from "regular" schools in the Recovery School District (the public school district set up by the state in Orleans Parish following Hurricane Katrina). The students at my school have all committed Level 3 offenses. That means they did anything ranging from chronic and intense disrespect of a teacher, to destruction of school property, to fights/gun or weapon possession/drug charges. I can't give you a "regular school" perspective, but in many ways, the alternative school setting is incredibly representative of "the system" as a whole once you peel back the layers of the alt school myths and preconceptions.

If it weren't for people like Mitra our government's continuing criminal negligence of New Orleans would be even more encompassing. However, because of the fact that our country can still foster people like her, I am able to maintain hope that the worst of America can be overcome by the best of America, and that the true ideal of the American Dream will evenually be.

I suspect that Mitra is embarrassed by my heaping praise of her and her work, but I believe it is of the upmost necessity to alert especially her to the magnamity of the work she is doing. I doubt that she has even realized that she is firmly entrenching herself amongst the young leaders of America with the highest potential to bring about real change, and if my showing such overt appreciation for what she is doing is of any help to her it is perhaps the greatest act of activism I have taken myself.

I consider it an honor to have her as a friend, as Mitra is living proof that one person really can make a difference. Our country desperately needs to follow her model, as we need many more of our citizens to follow her lead and begin to work in the trenches for the dream of equality. I aim to help amplify her work as much as I possibly can for this very purupose, as the existential impact of her work is only beginning as she starts to tell her story and inspire those around her. Anyone who hears about her experiences will become that much more motivated to work for real change, as they will be able to recognize the potential impact one person could really make.

For that, I am not only excited to listen in to Stephanie's show, but am exceedingly greatful that she is helping me spread word about what this true American treasure is doing!

Meet the Bloggers for Nov. 7

2008-11-09T13:53:00.000-08:00

The people have spoken! A record-setting 130 million people turned out to vote in yesterday's election, in which Barack Obama made history on a Democratic tidal wave of victory.

Polling suggests voters came out in record numbers because of growing concerns over the economy, jobs, healthcare, energy, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Clearly, the Obama administration and the new Democratic majority in Washington have a chance to make profound changes in our lives stretching from Wall Street to Main Street. But where should they begin?

On this Friday's Meet the Bloggers, we'll examine this question and more with Jonathan Alter,Newsweek senior editor and contributing correspondent for NBC. This is the seventh election Alter has covered for Newsweek, and he'll bring his unique perspective to the discussion. Alter is also the author of the national bestseller, The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope. He'll talk about how Roosevelt restored Americans' faith in democracy and put the country back to work during the Great Depression, as well as the challenges and opportunities Obama faces during his first days in office.

Joining Alter and host Cenk Uygur will be blogger Marcy Wheeler (FireDogLake). Plus, we'll have a special video post from Brad Friedman (The Brad Blog) about what went right, what went wrong, and what voters did to fight back at the polls.

Check out some of the related articles below and participate in the live blog conversation with FOX Attacks blogger Jonathan Kim, Friday at 1pm ET/10am PT on Meet the Bloggers. Tell us why YOU voted the way you did and what you're expecting come January 21st!

Newsweek Conventional Wisdom Watch -- Jonathan Alter, Newsweek
President Obama: This Proud Moment -- William Greider, The Nation
OK Barack, Time to Hit the Ground Running -- AlterNet
Obama Wins and Redefines Real America -- David Corn, Mother Jones
The Most Unlikely President -- Ezra Klein, The American Prospect
Mandate Watch: Bellweather Races/Initiatives to Watch Below the Presidential Contest -- David Sirota, Campaign for America's Future
The White House 2: Where You Set the Nation's Priorities -- Jim Gilliam, Brave New Films
Six Ways Obama can show he'll be a different kind of President -- John Dickerson, Slate.com

Sarah Palin vlog: Election Day

2008-11-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Sarah Palin will be even funnier once we know she won't be vice president. She's not going anywhere though considering the 2012 talk has already started, so I will continue to consider it a patriotic duty to mock her as much as possible until she can't ever be possibly taken seriously again! With that in mind, check out Sarah Palin Vlog #22 (via 23/6):

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

McCain on SNL

2008-11-03T14:49:00.000-08:00

By: Harry Waisbren

By far the biggest difference betwen John McCain and Dick Cheney is that McCain, for all his faults/evils/embrace of the dark side of the force, he can be pretty funny. Here's his opening skit he did with Tina Fey from this Saturday:

And here is another bit he did on Weekend Update:

Nov. 2nd edition of Forward Forum

2008-11-02T12:09:00.000-08:00

By: John Quinlan

ELECTION SPECIAL EDITION FEATURING THE PRINCE MYSHKINS PERFORMING LIVE IN STUDIO;
OPEN PHONES AND ANALYSIS OF THE ELECTION SEASON JUST PASSED;
WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE IMPORTANCE THE ROLE OF EACH OF US IN WHAT LIES AHEAD

John Quinlan here for my co-host Harry Waisbren and producer Stephanie Woods, inviting you to join us this Sunday evening on Forward Forum, from 7-9 pm--broadcasting on WTDY, 1670 am and streaming live at www.wtdy.com. (Please also join Stephanie for her "Sunday Night Live" show, which now immediately precedes us at 6pm!)

Please join us for a fascinating and fun-filled pre-election version of Forward Forum, featuring the marvelously moving and meaningful musical stylings of the nationally-renowned, but Madison-based, political folk music duo, The Prince Myshkins (www.princemyshkins.com). ; We'll also be featuring a potpourri of local and national political and civil rights leaders who will share compelling reminders of why this election not only matters, but is a rare opportunity to make history. We'll be returning to the subject of last week's show, and offering practical advice on how to protect precious voting rights in the face of evidence of insidious examples of voter suppression and other illegal and unethical attempts to disenfranchise you. And, lastly, we'll remind you that Nov. 4th is just the beginning--and the real grassroots work to ensure accountability and action on the path to social justice begins November 5th.

"STOP VOTER SUPPRESSION!" ORGANIZING UPDATE

But first, an important reminder from Forward Forum's co-host (and proud community organizer) Harry Waisbren about how you can play your part in countering efforts to suppress the vote. New tools have allowed activists to work on election day to aid in efforts to directly prevent voter suppression on election day. With time of the essence though, we need to work quickly to spread word of these resources as quickly as possible.There are a myriad of others ways to participate however, and here is a link to the Voter Suppression wiki's press release which has aggregated many of the different ways this can be done: http://www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=7890. A particularly powerful tool to do this is Credo Action's Immediate Response Network while will direct activists via text message alerts as to urgent issues requiring help in their area, and the link to sign up for this is here: http://act.credoaction.com/election/.

You can also download a flier that is being spread as far as possible that provides all of the information a citizen needs to prevent the suppression of their vote as well as what they can do to help others. Go to http://www.forwardforum.net/one_page.doc . For further information, go to www.madprogress.com -- also a blog where you can offer feedback about your local experiences on election day itself.

ABOUT THE PRINCE MYSHKINS (www.princemyshkins.com)

The Prince Myshkins, guitarist/vocalist Andy Gricevich and accordianist/vocalist Rick Burkhardt, make their home in Madison, but spend much of their time on the roadtouring nationally to play and sing "at antiwar demonstrations, union rallies, schools, coffeehouses, living rooms, community centers and major urban intersections." They've just come back from one such tour through the swing state territory of Ohio and Pennsylvania, performing alongside such progressive folk icons as John McCutcheon and Holly Near. Here are some of their recent reviews:

Brilliant musicians and astonishing political songwriters...
their wordplay is unrelentingly sidesplitting.
Peter Berryman, Whither Zither

The songs are meticulous masterpieces, lyrically and musically.
The Prince Myshkins are true American queer music revolutionaires....
each song an American epic unto itself.
Scott Free, Outvoice reviews

Musically gripping, lyrically acerbic....
The Prince Myshkins have been compared to Mark Russell as
political satirists in song and Romanovsky and Phillips as a Gay folk duo
singing original material, but in this interviewer's opinion they're far ahead
of that level and within hailing distance of their self-proclaimed
(or self-confessed) influences: the Marx Brothers, Tom Lehrer,
Monty Python. Catch them as soon as you have the opportunity.
Zenger's magazine

It's hard to think of a more fitting way to end this never-ending campaign season than to hear live in studio from our friends Rick and Andy--both in song and in word--as they share their encounters with people in every corner of the country who are behind the new movement for social justice that underlies this presidential campaign. As we enter these final several days, it's a night when we hope to inspire and motivate you to persevere in the face of long lines at the polls--and to continue to push for positive change in the months and years to come. Please join in our conversation by calling 321-1670 locally, *123 for US Cellular phone users toll-free, and 1-877-867-1670 if calling from further afield.

Other guests and segments pending at press time. With new events breaking constantly, we're trying to stay on top of things, so this show is still a work-in-progress.... for further updates, please return to www.forwardforum.net for further details at weekend's end.

Cheney endorses McCain, and the election turns!

2008-11-01T15:27:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Obama should be frightened by this endorsement (via Huffington Post):

....but he's not:

"I'd like to congratulate Senator McCain on this endorsement because he really earned it. That endorsement didn't come easy. Senator McCain had to vote 90 percent of the time with George Bush and Dick Cheney to get it. He served as Washington's biggest cheerleader for going to war in Iraq, and supports economic policies that are no different from the last eight years. So Senator McCain worked hard to get Dick Cheney's support.

But here's my question for you, Colorado: do you think Dick Cheney is delighted to support John McCain because he thinks John McCain's going to bring change? Do you think John McCain and Dick Cheney have been talking about how to shake things up, and get rid of the lobbyists and the old boys club in Washington?"

Join the Twitter Vote Report!

2008-11-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

I am very proud to say that I have been utilizing my position as President of the Madison chapter of Campus Progress to do whatever I can to prevent voter suppression. Much of that work has been done through my work at the Voter Suppression wiki, which is how I learned about the Twitter Vote Report (as well as Credo Action's Immediate Response Network which I will be blogging about later today).

Twitter has recently gone viral with this campaign to take avantage of new media technologies to expose and prevent voter suppression. I am very proud to say that I was able to entice Campus Progress Action to join this effort, and every day it is becoming more and more apparent that they will have a major effect. Below is an email I received from two of their organizers updating their immense progress, and I really couldn't recommend anyone who plans to vote to take part in this enough:

I know that word viral is too often overused, but really, Twitter Vote Report (www.twittervotereport.com) has. Check it out:

1. CNN, NPR, ABC, BBC and several NBC affiliates will be using the Twitter feeds and visualizations as part of their Election Day Coverage. You can see how committed NPR is to the project here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96349881

2. The number of tweets we're getting to date from early voters is awesome! Two of my favorites are:

OH_observers: #EPOH from 866 report -fake election officials letting people vote from parking lot in Columbus #votereport #43204 http://tinyurl.com/6nfrmw

My #early #votereport - absentee ballots in #48823 require extra postage. Don’t let a $0.15 slipup keep your voice from being heard!

The first one means someone is passing out fake ballots in line in ohio and hoping people will think they've voted, the second one is that extra postage is required on absentee ballots in nc that no one is telling anyone about!

3. We just added a new area to the site called Spread the Wordl (http://twittervotereport.com/spread-the-word/) filled with language and badges and logos to help you post and ping about Twitter Vote Report.

I know that many of you have already helped to get the word out. Thank you, thank you for that! But even if you've done so already, I wanted to ask if you could once more email or text to your folks about Twitter Vote Report -- we need as many people as possible texting in their messages on Election Day to make the power of citizen voices so clear that they can't be ignored. Also, feel free to blog and tweet about it, too! Thanks!

Oct. 31st edition of Meet the Bloggers

2008-10-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

Since it's Halloween, we couldn't think of anything scarier to discuss on Meet the Bloggersthan "The Frightening Economy." The blood-sucking greed of CEO vampires! The terror of checking your 401k status! The spooky specter of socialism! The rotting remains of Republican economic philosophy! The horrors of a Bush-McCain economy!

Trick or treat? The American people have been tricked -- big time. First, by bewitching promises of no money down loans, zero percent interest, and housing prices that would supernaturally rise indefinitely; and now by CEOs and Wall Street warlocks who cried “Crisis!” and demanded a bailout, then retreated to their haunted mansions -- or luxury spas!

This Friday at 1pm ET/10 am PT, we’ll talk to economist Dean Baker, co-director of theCenter for Economic and Policy Research, about just how terrifying this economy really is. Joining Baker will be bloggers Hale Stewart (The Bonddad Blog) and Isaiah Poole (Campaign for America's Future), who will weigh in on what’s ahead for the economy and what the next administration can and should do to get us back on the right track.

So check out the articles below and join us for a live blog discussion on Meet the BloggersFriday at 1pm ET/10 am PT to chat with our featured bloggers. That is, if you're not too scared!

The Battle for Obama's Economic Soul -- Robert Scheer, Truthdig
Battle of the Narratives -- Robert Kuttner, The American Prospect
5 Reasons Why Wall Street's Bailout Won't Work, Danny Schecter AlterNet
Redistribution: From Joe the Plumber to Robert Rubin -- Dean Baker, The Huffington Post
Tax Cuts an Inefficient Stimulus -- Isaiah Poole, Campaign for America's Future
One Final Look at the Disaster of Bush's Economic Record -- Hale "Bonddad" Stewart, The Huffington Post
A New Progressive Era? -- Robert Borosage, Campaign for America's Future

Maddow interviews Obama

2008-10-30T22:14:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Need more evidence that Rachel Maddow's show is already an unabashed success despite her scary liberalism (she just might be a hippie in disguise!)? Maddow has already snagged an interview with Obama, and it's a pretty fantastic interview. Check it out below:

And part 2:

Oh no you didn't...

2008-10-30T18:47:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Stephen Colbert endorses Obama...but says he's still voting for McCain. Makes sense to me:

The Real Biden

2008-10-30T18:18:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Swift Kids for Truth strikes again:

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

Obama 30-minute ad

2008-10-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

So 26.3 million people sat in to watch what Matt Stoller refers to as the Hopefomercial. Want to ad yourself to the ranks? Check it out below (via Huffington Post):

Obama on the Daily Show

2008-10-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Obama admits that he's lost the Hannity vote, but somehow I think he'll be OK. Check it out below:

It is Time to Break the Silence about Voter Suppression!

2008-10-26T15:28:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

I am quite excited for tonight’s edition of Forward Forum, and it’s not only because of the fact that our first guest (who authored a book about Sarah Palin) will undoubtedly give me plenty of opportunities to make fun of George W. Bush with lipstick. However, our second hour will analyze a topic that I have become increasingly involved and vested in. We will be interviewing Jon Pincus who I have been collaborating with on the Voter Suppression Wiki, and our discussion will include how we can connect both online and on the ground activists to prevent the continuance of this horrific wrong. How is it that in 2008 Americans still need to fear for their votes, and why am I so committed to breaking the silence on this particular issue? Context is needed here to understand the enormity of what we are dealing with, as we must recognize that what we are seeing today is merely emblematic of a much horrific evil that has eaten away at the soul of America since its inception.

Ever since our founding there has been an internal struggle regarding who would truly wield power in this country. This controversy is most evident in the evolving definition indicating which members of our society compromise the term “the people” who, supposedly, are designed to rule in this land. The changing nature of this democratic ideal can be measured by whom we grant the right of voting, as this right deciphers categorically which segments of the population are/were considered worthy of representation as an equal to those even more powerful or wealthy. There can be no equality without congruent voting rights, and the dream of America can not be achieved without a true acceptance of the radical concept that we are all equals.

Within even the most idealistic of our founding fathers were views on this issue that we consider abhorrent today. African Americans in this country continued to be bereft of freedom, and, of course, did not have the right to vote. Women were not allowed to vote. Those who were not wealthy enough to own property were not allowed to vote. This changed though throughout our history, as patriots fought and died to attain and retain this sacred institution. However, the combined forces of those prone to lose the most power from the shifting equilibrium were, and remain, fiercely strong. Far too many members of our country’s wealthy and powerful elite have decided both then and now that they benefit most when there are fewer people allowed the information and ability to vote and assert their own interests. Quite regrettably, far too many of our fellow citizens do not recognize the repugnant nature of this incentive, and despite civil war, despite reconstruction, despite generations of strikes and protests, despite the end of Jim Crowe, despite countless victories, voter suppression efforts of those with the least political power continue and thrive to this day.

Let me be unabashedly frank: the conservative movement in this country has wholeheartedly embraced modern day tactics to prevent minorities and the youth from voting. These tactics have a new name and justifications, but their deplorable nature remains the same as any other voter suppression effort historically. This time the justification is coming through preventing “voter fraud”, yet a cursorily analysis of these bankrupt charges expose how this campaign is merely indicative of the same failings of mankind that have hampered our democracy from its inception. Below is a portion of the explanation about the history of voter fraud from Eric Alterman and George Zornick of the Center for American Progress that exposes this dynamic:

Members of the mainstream media often give too much credence to empty claims of “voter fraud,” while ignoring the institutionalized disenfranchisement that occurs too often in America. “Voter fraud” is not an infrequent claim, especially before elections. The claim is most often applied to voter registrations submitted for people who are ineligible or don’t exist.

…

Yet these accounts lack the crucial context that should be included in every journalistic account of such charges—that voter fraud allegations are frequently based on shaky evidence with partisan goals in mind.

Project Vote recently released a detailed study of how accusations of voter fraud are often efforts to stop minorities and young people from voting. Called “The Politics of Voter Fraud,” the report details “how charges of voter fraud are used to discredit voter participation efforts and prime the pump for voter suppression efforts, such as the passage of voter ID bills, pushing for proof of citizenship, engaging in draconian voter purge efforts, and imposing severe restrictions on voter registration drives.”

Digby at Digbysblog has also written extensively about this rancid and undemocratic effort. Like Alterman and Zornick, she also puts an onus on the media for legitimizing these charges. Not only has our mainstream media failed to expose the blatantly partisan and corrupt nature of voter fraud allegations, but they have also refused to discuss the very ongoing and real campaigns to suppress votes as if our country was still dominated by Jim Crowe:

The process of turning ACORN into a terrorist sleeper cell has begun and I see little hope that they aren't going to be successful. The press is clearly fascinated by the right wing caricature of a group of shiftless "community organizers" trading crack for Obama votes in the inner city and have done exactly zero research into the issue, so the reporting has been hysterical.

I have written many times about this report (pdf) from 2004 about the history of Republican vote suppression efforts and I urge you to take the time to read the whole thing if you haven't. This has been a tool of conservatives of all parties since the beginning of the Republic, but it's only been since the 1980s that the Republicans professionalized it

…

That the media is running after this story like a bunch of toddlers gleefully chasing puppies is typical, but still disheartening. It was only a couple of weeks ago that a special prosecutor was named in the US Attorney firings after the Inspector General found that that some of them, notably David Iglesias, were fired because they failed to prosecute bogus voter fraud cases. In light of that you would think that the press would be a bit skeptical of voter fraud allegations by Republicans

Digby’s point at the end that the Bush administration has already been repudiated for these efforts should strike a particularly powerful cord with anyone who cares about the rule of law. Charges of voter fraud are being given credence immediately after the same people making these claims were caught red handed pressuring U.S. attorneys to pursue such allegations of voter fraud despite knowing full well that they were unwarranted! These charges were directly and officially laid out in a recently released US Attorneys report on this very subject:

"The most serious allegation that we were not able to fully investigate related to the removal of David Iglesias, the U.S. Attorney for New Mexico, and the allegation that he was removed to influence voter fraud and public corruption prosecutions," the report's conclusion reads. "We recommend that a counsel specially appointed by the Attorney General assess the facts we have uncovered, work with us to conduct further investigation, and ultimately determine whether the evidence demonstrates that any criminal offense was committed with regard to the removal of Iglesias or any other U.S. Attorney, or the testimony of any witness related to the U.S. Attorney removals."

The promotion and enaction of voter fraud charges despite their voter suppressing results is a criminal matter, and a special prosecutor has ALREADY been appointed to treat it as such. However, our mainstream media remains almost uniformly negligent in exposing these criminals and educating the public about the nearly successful institutionalized destruction of the rule of law just last year. This negligence has been so absolute that voter fraud allegations will most likely once again impact this election--even if they do not decide its outcome this time.

Fortunately, Barack Obama has not sat as idly by like our mainstream media has while the Republican Party continues this farce. Obama’s legal team has asked Attorney General Mukasey to have the recently appointed special prosecutor also analyze the "emerging pattern of apparent unlawful coordination between the McCain campaign and the Department of Justice and state law enforcement agencies controlled by Republican officials."

This is true leadership from Obama, and it is time for other leaders to come forward and call out this pernicious scheme for what it is. Our country is a land where minorities’ and young people' rights to equality under the law remain in jeopardy, yet the silence from this nightmare remains deafening. It is of the upmost necessity for political leaders and grassroots activists alike to say ENOUGH to this sort of blatant racism and attempts to subvert democracy!

During the show tonight and in the following days we will be deciphering the best possible ways for us to do this, and I hope to gain support for this effort. Right now, I do not believe there is any effort more important than exposing these bigoted anit-democratic cretins and working to reestablish a public discourse that recognizes the importance of equality in the definiton for what it means to be an American!

A Poem for the Youth Voter

2008-10-25T15:59:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Check it out:

Oct. 26th edition of Forward Forum

2008-10-25T15:37:00.000-07:00

By: John Quinlan

his is John Quinlan for Forward Forum. Please join me, co-host Harry Waisbren and producer Stephanie Woods for the first part of our two part, Election Special, this Sunday from 7-9 pm on 1670am, WTDY, and streaming live online at www.wtdy.com . (Show website:www.forwardforum.net; show blog www.madprogress.com; updates coming later this weekend.) And please join in our conversation by calling 321-1670 locally and 1-877-867-1670 toll free from across the U.S., or by sending an email to ontheair@wtdy.com. And we'll also be unveiling other exciting ways for you to participate through madprogress.com and a special parallel online discussion... tune in for the details.

Please join us and our guests, Sarah Palin biographer Sue Katz and Internet activist, privacy rights expert, and voter suppression opponent Jon Pincus.

AT 7pm, we'll be revealing new insights about vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, with our guest Sue Katz, author of "Thanks but no Thanks: The Voter's Guide to Sarah Palin." Seewww.palinvoterguide.blogspot.com. It's a meticulously researched book, which author Susie Bright praises in saying, "Forget the myths about the GOP's latest superstar--Katz will show the real motivations behind Palin and where she comes from."

Sue Katz is an author, teacher, and journalist, and creator of the popular blog, "Sue Katz: Consulting Adult." Her passport shows more wear than Palin's--she has lived and worked on three continents and continues her lifelong committment to social justice from her home outside Boston. Her second book, an edgy and unabashed look at the private behavior of boomers, is due in 2009.

AT 8pm, we'll tackle the disturbing topic of voter suppression with a pioneering social scientist/activist who is using his considerable knowledge of the Internet and New Media to counter this newly-resurgent trend threatening to seriously erode our democratic freedoms. Jon Pincus's biography is emblematic of the growing fusion between New Media and social justice activism. His current primary research interests include the interactions between social networks and diversity theory, trolls, and recasting the field of computer science as a social science. His current professional projects include Tales from the Net (a book on social networks co-authored with Deborah Pierce and his brother Greg) and launching a strategy consulting practice (see http://achangeiscoming.net).

Some of the social science approaches embodied in his work include asset-based thinking, narratology, cognitive diversity, intersectionality, standpoint theories and situated knowledges, oppression theory, action research, and hot pink beanbag chairs. He applies similar approaches in his civil liberties activism work, for example with Get FISA Right and the Voter Suppression Wiki; his professional and activist sides merge in my involvement with Computers, Freedom, and Privacy conference, (see http://cfp08.blogspot.com/) where he is currently vice-chair of online visibility for the 2009 conference.

For more info, go to his fascinating blog, Liminal States, at http://www.talesfromthe.net/jon/ . And be sure to go to co-host Harry Waisbren's blog, www.madprogress.com , for details on some unique opportunities for you to interact with us online during and after our interview.

And don't forget to join our colleague Stephanie Woods in her new time slot of 6pm Sundays (immediately preceding Forward Forum) for her lively and topical show, "Sunday Night Live with Stephanie Woods."

Obama campaign launches "Under the Radar" project

2008-10-24T16:26:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Here's the latest from the Obama Action Wire:

John McCain is running one of the sleaziest campaigns in American history -- and just the other day he told an interviewer he's "absolutely" proud of it.

Attacking Barack Obama with dark insinuations in TV ads must have been drawing too much negative attention to McCain's lies, because now he's using automated "robocalls" and hateful mailings to spread doubt and fear under the radar.

The most powerful way to expose McCain's dirty campaign is to drag his shadowy attacks into the light of public scrutiny.

Today we're launching Under the Radar, a website where you can get the truth about some of these deceptive "robocalls" and mailers. Check it out and share it with anyone you know who has received one of these smears:

http://radar.barackobama.com

Back in his 2000 campaign, John McCain said, "Sooner or later, people are going to figure out if all you run is negative attack ads, you don't have much of a vision for the future or you're not ready to articulate it."

He was right.

Keep fighting the good fight,

Obama Action Wire

P.S. -- If you've received a deceptive McCain mailer or "robocall," report it and upload a copy so the campaign can bring it into the light and fight back:

Oct. 24th edition of Meet the Bloggers: Race in the Presidential Debate

2008-10-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

Since the race-baiting and fear-mongering from the McCain campaign have intensified in recent weeks, we have escalated our campaign to end the politics of hate. This week on Meet the Bloggers, we will discuss race in the presidential race with special guest Rinku Sen, executive director of The Applied Research Center and author of the recently released book, The Accidental American: Immigration and Citizenship in the Age of Globalization.

Watch Rinku Sen on Meet the Bloggers at 1pm ET: http://meetthebloggers.org/?utm_source=rgemail

Joining Sen will be bloggers Adia Harvey Wingfield (Racism Review), Joshua Busch (Double Take 08), and Liliana Segura (AlterNet). All three have written extensively about this topic, as you can see from the material below. Check out their articles, and join them in the live blog discussion today at 1pm ET/10 am PT at Meet the Bloggers.

White Progressives Don't Get It -- Rinku Sen, Applied Research Center
Reject the Hate in '08! Don't Fall for Racist Tactics -- Joshua Busch, Double Take 08
Backlash: Six Challenges to McCain's Racist Fearmongering -- Liliana Segura, AlterNet
How White Privilege Works -- Adia Harvey Wingfield, Racism Review
Tell McCain to End the Politics of Hate -- Brave New Films

U.S. ranked 36th in World for Press Freedom

2008-10-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Anyone want to argue that this isn't an indictment of the country that should be the land of the free? Can't say this is that surprising considering that arresting journalists was official policy at this year's Republican Naitonal Convention:

St. Paul police chief John Harrington outlined his policy towards reporters covering demonstrations in a September 3 press conference. Arrest first, ask questions later: Harrington told Amy Goodman that the police can't possibly be expected to differentiate between protesters and credentialed journalists covering protests. He added, generously, that the police would do their best to identify journalists after the fact and expedite their release.

Still don't think this has gotten out of control? Check out this video of even an ABC News producer getting arrested in Denver while "investigating the role of corporate lobbyists and wealthy donors at the convention".

Crazy crazy crazy.

Family Guy's take on McCain/Palin

2008-10-23T22:12:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Dear God:

And Will Ferrell joins Tina Fey!

2008-10-23T22:04:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Will Ferrell's depiction of an open George W. Bush endorsement to the McCain/Palin ticket just might be the funniest SNL skit I have ever seen. It makes me even more psyched for Will Ferrell's January stint on broadway with "You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush." In the meantime, check out his chemistry with Fey/Palin below:

Oct. 17th edition of Meet the Bloggers

2008-10-17T09:28:00.001-07:00

When it comes to election protection and voter suppression, there's perhaps no one more knowledgeable than Color of Change's James Rucker. That's why Rucker will be our special guest on Meet the Bloggers today at 1pm ET/10am PT, as we discuss these critical issues.

Joining Rucker will be Jon Pincus (Liminal States) and Brad Friedman (The Brad Blog). Both have written extensively about this topic, and they will chat with show host Cenk Uygur about early reports of voter suppression, as well as campaigns to combat this problem from groups like Campus Progress and Progressive Christians Uniting, among others.

Watch a teaser of James Rucker on Meet the Bloggers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OP_rISLD8M

Check out the material below and join us for the live conversation today at 1pm ET/10am PT:

Election Protection
Twitter Vote Report
Voter Suppression Wiki - Baratunde Thurston, Jack & Jill Politics
Voter Suppression Wiki: Introductions, Help Wanted, and Strategy - Jon Pincus, Oxdown Gazette
So Where's the ACORN 'Voter Fraud'? - Brad Friedman
GOP Attacks on ACORN Are Based on the Fear of 1.3 Million New Voters - AlterNet
College Students Still Face Voting Stumbling Blocks - Laura Fitzpatrick, TIME

Tina Fey is Sarah Palin

2008-10-05T11:42:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

This might be her best bit yet. My favorite parts are when Palin describes how marriage is meant to be a sacred institution between two unwilling teenagers, and then when she busts our her flute for the talent portion of the debate. Check it out below:

Tina Fey gets Book Deal

2008-10-04T13:08:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

As if Tina Fey wasn't having a big enough year already, she has just signed a book deal in addition to her 30 rock writing and Sarah Palin demolitioning. I've been quite the Tina Fey fan ever since her bitch is the new black routine on SNL, and it's great news that she is continuing her ascent into stardome.

John McCain's economic plan

2008-10-04T08:30:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Why can't we all just marry a beer heiress (via John Cole)?:

McCain’s Economic Plan For Nation: 'Everyone Marry A Beer Heiress'

I am actually relieved to hear that McCain has a plan for the rest of us considering the devasting impact his current one would have on the poor. Plus, marrying a beer heiress is smarter than his other idea of all us of waiting for victory in Iraq to pay off the deficit. Maybe this is why so many of McCain's own economic advisors don't actually support his economic agenda.

Sarah Palin Vlog #5: Post Debate

2008-10-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Check out 23/6's post debate Sarah Palin depiction:

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

"White Flag of Surrender"

2008-10-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

I couldn't agree with John Cole's analsyis of the following Sarah Palin/Republican hack line from the debate last night:

"Your plan is a white flag of surrender in Iraq and that is not what our troops need to hear today, that’s for sure. And it’s not what our nation needs to be able to count on."

I can not tell you how much it pisses me off to have asshats who never even spent a day in Basic Training pull the surrender/treason nonsense, but beside even that, have we ever had a candidate in a debate during wartime so clearly enunciate the tinkerbell strategy? Clap louder! That is what our boys need! Clap louder, damnit!

It is a sign of the bankrupt nature of our political discourse that Republicans can utter such garbage with nary a peep about the blatant hypocrisy. Who on earth is John McCain or any of his surrogates to argue about what supporting the troops should entail? Let's look through some of the different ways McCain and his Republican allies have betrayed our troops in the last few years:

John McCain killed the efforts to extend our troops' dwell time between returning to war to ensure they had enough time to rest and recuperate.

John McCain refused to support the recently passed bipartisan which led one soldier to directly ask why John McCain was "fighting to kill" his "one hope and dream" to go to college.

John McCain has said that bringing our troops home from Iraq is not important.

John McCain, in his own words, supported a program that could be considered brainwashing our soldiers.

John McCain wants to ration healthcare for veterans (and non-veterans too).

And there are a too many other reasons to list that could fit on this one blog post. It is long past time for our mainstream media to discuss how John McCain consistently Votes Against Vets!

Oct. 3rd edition of Meet the Bloggers

2008-10-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

Over 2,750 doctors have signed Brave New PAC's open letter urging McCain to provide full, public disclosure of his medical records. And yet the corporate press has gone to great lengths to prevent the public from discussing this issue. Tune in to Meet the Bloggers this Friday at 1pm ET/10am PT, when special guest Dr. Richard Sagebiel will lead the calls for full disclosure and transparency from McCain on his health history. Dr. Richard Sagebiel is a pathologist in dermatology and co-director of the UCSF Melanoma Clinic.

Joining Dr. Sagebiel will be bloggers Cheryl Contee (Jack & Jill Politics), Charles Karel Bouley (The Huffington Post), and Ari Melber (The Nation), who will talk about how Brave New PAC's ad on McCain's medical records has been censored by the corporate press and attacked by right-wing shock jocks like Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh.

To get caught up on this hot topic, check out some of the articles below. Then, tune in on Friday at 1pm ET/10am PT to join the conversation.

Is McCain Concealing Medical Records? - Ari Melber, Politico
New Urgency Over McCain Medical Questions as Election Nears - Sam Stein, Huffington Post
Why Is the Corporate Press Censoring Attempts to Discuss McCain's Health Records? - ZP Heller, Brave New Films
Why The Young Turks Are Carrying the Brave New PAC Ad About McCain's Health - Cenk Uygur, The Young Turks
Doctors Call on McCain to Release Details of Bout with Skin Cancer - Daniel Nasaw,The Guardian
McCain's Health Is a Legitimate Issue for Disclosure - Bob Ewegen, Denver Post
Covering Candidates' Medical Records - Curtis Brainard, Columbia Journalism Review

Swift Kids for Truth: Maverick

2008-10-02T22:23:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

I wish I could add more to this, but the title from this 23/6 video might just be the best possible preview anyways:

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

Off the Bus Debate Assignment

2008-10-02T15:57:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Here's the latest assignment from Huffington Post's citizen journalist squadron Off the Bus:

We need just 15 minutes of your time tonight --

We need you to tune into your local broadcast media's programming tonight following the Biden-Palin vice presidential debate, and QUICKLY report back to us on the coverage. What exactly are your local broadcast journalists saying about the debate? Do they think Biden or Palin won? If so, why? Tomorrow we will publish a story written by HuffPost's OffTheBus member Beverly Davis based on your reports.

DEADLINE: 2am Eastern

FILE HERE: If you email in your reports, we probably will not use them. The 'Survey Monkey' form enables us to download and to quickly sort responses by state and media outlet. Go here to report.

WHAT TO FILE: Here is what we need you to tell us.

Media outlet's name by call letters (eg. New York's WCBS):

Name of broadcast journalist(s) who commented on the Biden-Palin debate:

Describe your local media outlet's take on tonight's vice presidential debate between Biden and Palin in 3-4 complete sentences. Include AT LEAST ONE QUOTE to support your conclusion. We may quote you, so write well! For example -- "Both broadcast journalists, Sam Jones and Melinda Rogers, described the debate as 'a draw.' They pointed out that neither candidate won hands-down and that, while 'Palin exceeded expectations' (Jones) and Biden 'demonstrated his foreign policy expertise' (Rogers) neither candidate emerged victorious."

Did the network replay footage of the debate? If so, what clips? Please provide direct quotes whenever possible and note the broadcasters' comments. For example: "The network showed McCain smirking next to the podium. Rogers said, 'He looks a bit angry, doesn't he?''"

Let me know if you've got any questions -- thank you!

Amanda -- Marc, John, Hanna, and Gabe

Sarah Palin Vlog #4: The Big Day

2008-10-02T09:29:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

The debate is quickly coming, and as 23/6 reports:

Down to the wire now. Sarah and Dina are up early cramming and jamming for tonight's big face-off. They're finding Sarah's weak spots and plugging holes. If Mr. Joe Biden tries to slap Sarah's face with her own rape kit, she'll be ready.

Check out the latest video below:

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

Breaking out the Keating 5 Story

2008-10-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

The Public Campaign Action Fund went there. As discussed the other day on this blog, McCain is particularly vulnerable on his history with the Keating 5 as it shows that he has been DIRECTLY invovled in similar financial crises caused by deregulation like we are seeing now.

Check out the new ad on this connection from the Public Campaign Action Fund below (via Open Left):

Sarah Palin Vlog #3: Cramming for the Economics Debate

2008-10-01T12:07:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Here is the the third installment of the Sarah Palin chronicles via 23/6:

McCain Jokes About Being a Dictator

2008-10-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

This would be much funnier if it weren't so frightening. You would think the media would be concerned by his casual attitud to ending the demcoratic process especially considering he openly is asking for a more "forceful" policy towards both Russia and China. We need to remember that McCain has not ruled out Bush's policy of preemptive war, and that he has already adopted the Bushian view of freedom of expression.

A McCain dictatorship is no laughing matter, as if he would engage the continued policy of unending war by engaging in new wars with CHINA AND RUSSIA he will certainly have to remove even the semblence of the freedoms we have enjoyed even in George W. Bush America. Maybe it's time our mainstream media begin asking these questions rather than assuming we could never become that sort of terrible country...

Don't Cry For Me Alaska: The Sarah Palin Story

2008-10-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

There are just way too many funny Sarah Palin videos being made! This one comes via Barely Political and includes Good Ol' Sarah telling Vladamir Putin that he will NOT take back Alaska on her watch. This is followed by a Palin roundhouse kick to the face of course:

Sarah Palin Vlog #2

2008-09-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Check out this video of Sarah Palin's debate prep that just leaked (who ever woulda thunk it?):

John McCain's Keating 5 Problem

2008-09-30T14:27:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

While John McCain is traipsing around pretending that he is not part of the problem with our failing economy it would be useful to remember that this is not the first time St. John has been confronted with financial misgivings. The Savings and Loan crisis was over 20 years ago, but it was a huge deal back then and the parallels between the corruption amidst massive deregulation certainly speaks to the problems we see today. Digby describes McCain's role as Charles Keating's personal Republican Mafioso as such:

McCain's role in that scandal was very specific: he pressured regulators into going easy on his friend Charlie's savings and loan. And he's done nothing but promote the virtues of deregulation ever since then, spending most of his time warmongering and tilting at windmills on campaign finance reform (which he's conveniently abandoned in his own presidential bid.) His reformer image is a total fraud.

I'm also embedding another video primer on the case below. Check out the 97 second summary, and you'll understand why Fox News has been cutting the mic on anyone with the audacity to mention McMaverick's personal regulation based scandal (via Jed Report):

Sarah Palin's Vlog #1: Katie Couric Interview

2008-09-30T14:16:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

The folks at 23/6 have prepared a series on Sarah Palin's preprations for her upcoming debate with Joe Biden this Thursday.

Can't wait to see what sort of gibberish Sarah starts spewing on Thursday's debate? Feeling like you're going to go into withdrawal if you don't get your Sarah Palin fix soon? Then check in with Sarah at her exciting new Vlog. This is a "no-handlers" zone where Sarah really and truly can be set free, in all her baffling glory.

Check out the first installment below:

More Tina Fey as Palin highlights

2008-09-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Keith Olbermann highlighted the ongoing SNL Tina Fey as Sarah Palin extravaganza while adding some great news----she is slotted to be playing the part for the next 7 WEEKS until the election. Considering how consistently hilarious she's been so far, I must admit that I'm psyched to hear the news.

Olbermann also discussed something I didn't realize from Fey's second Palin skit: apparently most of the dialogue was directly taken from Palin's speech! I knew it was close but turns out that she essentially copied Palin word for word, and KO plays the videos back to back to take the point home. Check it out below:

John McCain: Economic Disaster

2008-09-30T08:52:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Here's the latest video from Brave New Films that highlights the McCain campaign's role in this economic disaster as well as their capacity to make things even worse. Check it out below:

Brave New Films expanded on this in their email:

John McCain does not have the ability to fix this economic crisis. After declaring the fundamentals of the economy strong, he created a political circus in Washington last week by mucking up bailout negotiations; a deplorable stunt, considering he and his political cronies helped cause the current meltdown.

It was McCain and his economic adviser Phil Gramm who pushed for the deregulation that helped lead to the banking crisis, and it was McCain's crony Rick Davis who had deep lobbyist ties to Freddie Mac. Don't let others be fooled by McCain's economic grandstanding because the reality is his policies and principles will only exacerbate our financial hardships. That's why you must spread this video.

How long will the media let him get away with claiming he's a reformer when he's been part of the problem the whole time? It's efforts like these that help overturn the conventional wisdom, and it couldn't come regarding a more important issue during a more important time!

Why so serious?

2008-09-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

What would the Joker think of the upcoming recession and genearl bailout insanity? Find out below (via College Humor):

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Qutie fortunatley, the uprising has come to Washington and Wall Street and the bailout was defeated! There is still plenty of time for Joker style anarchy, but at least we can still hope we can make the investments we desperately need with that $700 billion instead of spending it on bailing out the fat cats for yet another day.

Head of Skate

2008-09-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

A few weeks back Matt Damon lamented over youtube that Sarah Palin seemed much more like a disney movie character than a serious candidate for the Vice Presidency. My favorite part of the video was when he said that he needed to know if she really believes that dinosaurs were here a few thousand years ago, because "she's going to have the nuclear codes". Considering the lengths McCain is going to hide his medical records, this is DEFINITELY a real and frightening concern.

Since Damon highlighted this lunacy, we've had confirmation that Palin really believes that dinosaurs and people coexisted. I find this factoid to be particularly complementary with this College Humor video ridiculing the Sarah Palin disney style campaign. Check it out below (via Slash Film):

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

SNL on the Presidential Debate

2008-09-28T16:19:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

SNL has a pretty hilarious take on the first presidential debate. Check it out below:

First Presidential Debate

2008-09-28T14:42:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Here it is in its entirety if you missed it. Watch for McCain looking all crazy old coot like throughout (the bug eyes were a particularly nice touch):

Tiny Fey's SNL take on Palin's Couric interview

2008-09-28T12:23:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Tina Fey is at it again, exposing the ridiculousness that is Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live. This time, she went after Palin's last embarrassing display of an interview where she couldn't even answer softballs from Katie Couric. Check it out below:

Attacked and Censored

2008-09-28T11:45:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

I just received the following email from Robert Greenwald of Brave New PAC about the ongoing campaign I've been helping out with to get McCain to release his medical records:

Dear Harry,

We knew we hit a nerve when Rush, Drudge, and O'Reilly unleashed on us the same day. Then, MSNBC censored the McCain health records ad, a Brave New PAC initiative, due to Bill O'Reilly/Fox's pressure (video embeded below):

And why? Because of the work we have all done together to stress the importance of John McCain releasing his health care records. Led by over 2500 doctors from around the country, Republicans, Independents and Democrats, asking important questions about the records, about his health, and stating loud and clear the records should be released.

We need your help to continue to get the message out. We must keep the focus on these records and getting them released. We must take an ad out in the NY Times. We must hold press events with doctors in Colorado, Florida, Michigan, and Ohio. We must interview more doctors, create video clips and send them around. Can you contribute to making all this possible?

This campaign is the result of all your great work in spreading the videos, telling friends, bloggers, radio, TV, unions and churches about the issues -- McCain has a YouTube Problem just passed 5.5 million views (video embeded below):

Thank you for your support. More to come!

Yours,
Robert Greenwald
Brave New Films

Madison Winter Soldier

2008-09-27T10:08:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

I have been working on the Madison Winter Soldier media team to help give these anti-war veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan a platform to speak. While our media parrots the narrative that "supporting the troops" means staying the course in Iraq they are actively ignoring the troops' real views, and Winter Soldier is an opportunity to discuss their perceptions over what is really happening on the ground.

Below is more information on what you can expect to see at Madison Winter Soldier, and I could not suggest coming to experience it enough:

Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), is composed of over fifteen-hundred soldiers who have recently served or are still serving in the U.S. military. IVAW has provided courageous and true leadership, opposing the war-funding politicians of both parties.

In March of this year, IVAW organized an historic event, the Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan hearings held outside Washington DC, where nearly 200 soldiers testified to the atrocities and war crimes they witnessed or personally committed while in Iraq and Afghanistan. The emotionally moving and carefully vetted truth telling lasted for days.

To its disgrace, most of the mainstream corporate media ignored the hearings. The hard facts of the Iraq war, the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed, the millions driven from their homes, the thousands of American dead and tens of thousands wounded, are simply not deemed appropriate and newsworthy by American news media. Indeed, the U.S. media has pushed Iraq to the back pages and off the TV tube.

Not to be deterred, IVAW continues to organize a national movement against the war.

This Saturday, September 27th, veterans will testify about their experiences in the military, addressing:

* Eyewitness accounts and personal stories from veterans and military families
* Veterans' Healthcare and the failure of the VA system
* The poverty draft and military recruitment today
* Supporting war resisters and the future of GI resistance
* Racism and the War on Terror
* Veterans, GIs, students, labor, and other peace groups working together end the war

Featuring guest speakers John Stauber, co-author of "The Best War Ever: Lies, Damned Lies, and the Mess in Iraq" and "Weapons of Mass Deception: The Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq" and Sami Rasouli an Iraqi-American who splits his time between Najaf and the U.S. where he talks about life under the U.S. occupation.

For more information or to endorse the event contact: madisonwintersoldier@gmail.com

Suggested donation of $5, no one will be turned away, all proceeds will benefit Iraq Veterans Against the War -Madison Chapter, a proud affiliate of Veterans For Peace, a 501 (c) (3) charity.

Endorsed by: Veterans For Peace: (Chapter 25 - The Clarence Kailin Chapter, Chapter 102 - The Milwaukee Chapter, Chapter 114 - The Sheboygan Chapter), Military Families for Peace, Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, Madison Area Peace Coalition, Rainbow Bookstore Cooperative, National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance - Madison Chapter, LIBERTY TREE Foundation for the Democratic Revolution, Health Writers, OneWisconsinNow, The Progressive, Campus Anti-war Network UW-Madison, DeKalb Interfaith Network for Peace and Justice, Madison-Rafah Sister City Project, International Socialist Organization: (Madison City Branch and University of Wisconsin Campus Branch), Madison Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), Madison Infoshop, WI Impeachment/Bring Our Troops Home Coalition, Peregrine Forum, United Nations Association - Wisconsin Division, Madison Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Code Pink - Boscobel, TAME Wisconsin, Campus Progress, South Central Federation of Labor, AFSCME Local 171, South West Wisconsin Area Progressives, Progressive Students of Milwaukee, The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom - The Madison Branch, The World Can't Wait, Unión de Trabajadores Inmigrantes, Student Progressive Dane, Pax Christi-Madison, Realeconomy.com, Peace, Education and Action through Creative Engagement (P.E.A.C.E) UW-Whitewater, Students Allied for a Green Earth (SAGE) UW-Whitewater, The Nader/Gonzalez Campaign of Wisconsin, Progressive Dane.

Free the Airwaves

2008-09-26T08:54:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

I have learned about the importance of the Free the Airwaves campaign via the Google Policy blog and have become quite encouraged with the effort. They just sent me another email with a video that explains why utilizing white spaces can transform the internet to non-techies like myself. Just think----we can bring wireless internet to everyone everywhere! Learn more below:

The Insurance Industry is Rigging the Game

2008-09-26T08:38:00.001-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

The Health Care for America Now campaign has launched a new website called Insurance Company Rules. They have released a video as part of this launch about how the insurance industry has rigged the system, and you can check it out below:

Although I believe the insurance industry is only one part of the much larger problem with our healthcare system in that at all levels the profit motive has taken over, fixing our insurance system is perhaps the most mortal problem as there are over 25 million Americans who are underinsured.

25 MILLION people at risk. Now that's just unamerican!

Sept. 26th edition of Meet the Bloggers

2008-09-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

This week our special guest, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi discusses the economic meltdown and the $700 billion Bush-Paulson bailout plan.

Speaker Pelosi will be joined by bloggers Roberto Lovato (Of America) and Matthew Yglesias (Think Progress). Both have written extensively about the bailout, and they will talk about the dire need to amend Paulson's plan to benefit taxpayers and victims of the financial crisis, as well as calls for strong regulation and public oversight to prevent another crisis like this from recurring.

The economic meltdown and Bush's shock and awe bailout plan are happening so quickly this show simply could not wait until Friday. Check out some of the articles below to get informed about how the proposed bailout will affect Wall Street and Main Street. Then, join us for the discussion live today at 2:30 pm ET/11:30am PT.

Sarah Palin is embarrassing

2008-09-25T11:16:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

I can just imagine the entire world laughing at us for what a patently absurd Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin is. We all thought Bush was embarassing, but if he wins, John McCain very well might die in office (he's had 4 bouts with cancer already), and this is the woman would be the new face of America to the world:

In the clip above, Katie Couric calls Palin out for being unable to name any examples of McCain "pushing for more regulation" in the past 26 years. She answers that she'll find out examples later and will bring them to her, and it's hilarious how Couric called her on the constant stream of empty platitudes that spewed forth from her mouth rather than any sort of answer.

Palin is such a lightweight it's absurd, and it's amazing that McCain would pick her as Vice Pesident without her being able to answer even the simplest of questions about his record. In fact, for a politician who is constantly lying, she's not even that good at it.

Letterman destroys McCain

2008-09-25T10:45:00.000-07:00

By: Harry Waisbren

Wow, so apparently pissing off David Letterman is a REALLY dumb move for a politician to make. John McCain canceled his scheduled appearance two hours prior to going in as part of the suspension of his campaign to help solve the financial crisis both he and his deregulation-tastic lobbyists helped create. Letterman was especially offended by this tack as not only did McCain cancel, but he felt it fit to go on TV with Katie Couric instead of actually rushing to DC to fix this problem like he claimed he was going to do.

Letterman spent a huge chunk of the show going after McCain hardcore. He even invited Keith Olbermann on in McCain's stead! Check out Letterman's realization and expression of John McCain the joke of a presidential candidate below: