TresSugar

Civil Disobedience 2009 Edition: Resisting Home Foreclosures

CitizenSugar — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:00:47 -0800

Homeowners soon to lose that title are finding support form neighbors, community activists, and law enforcement officials alike. A civil disobedience campaign is sweeping the country, and many facing foreclosure are refusing to leave their homes.

Community activist group ACORN has launched a Home Defender campaign, training teams to organize on short notice before an officers arrives to evict a family. The teams will gather family and friends to meet at the home, while others will alert the media that a family is about to resist an eviction. ACORN is also recruiting lawyers to defend the civil disobeyers free of charge.

In some counties, government officials are refusing to enforce evictions, too. A sheriff in Ohio said: "This is a cold place in the Winter and I will not give people a death sentence for not paying their debts."

If banks and corporations get help facing the consequences of bad financial decisions, should individual homeowners get a break, too?

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The Daily Show Checks in With Joe the Community Organizer

LibertySugar — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:30:00 -0700

While Joe the Plumber works on his country music record deal, The Daily Show's John Oliver hit the streets to find out what "Joe the Community Organizer" really does. He chatted with ACORN's chief organizer and a community organizer watchdog, who points out that Osama Bin Laden is in fact a community organizer as well. Check it out!

Don't Take No For an Answer: Protecting Against Election Theft

LibertySugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:53 -0700

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Greg Palast wrote in the Huffington Post yesterday, that while Republicans had the media searching for links between Barack Obama and ACORN, RNC operatives were completing one of the most massive voter suppression and purging efforts in US history. RFK, Jr.'s piece asserts that none of ACORN's bad registration signatures will impact the election; but an obstacle course of barriers for November 4 voters, including purging legitimate voters from the list, and creating mayhem and long lines at the polls, has been created on behalf of Republicans.

In its story about what might go wrong on Election Day, Time Magazine offers advice of what you can do to make sure your vote counts. Tips include: contacting your local registrar or going to canivote.org to verify your info; making sure you know your polling location and ID requirements; not taking no for an answer. If you get turned away, request an emergency paper ballot or cast a provisional ballot if you must. You can also call 866-OUR-VOTE if you have an issue.

Here's to hoping both sides play fair on Election Day!

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Front Page: 50% of Doctors Give Placebos, ACORN's Tally Hugely Overstated, Obama's Fundraising Drops 50%

CitizenSugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:58:18 -0700

50% of Doctors Give Placebos:
A nationwide study just found that half of all American doctors routinely prescribe placebos. Studies in other countries have found similar results. The most common placebos prescribed are headache and vitamin pills, though stronger drugs have been faked too. 95 percent of doctors prescribing them don't identify them as fake, leading to ethical and trust issues.

ACORN's Tally Hugely Overstated:
Though the community organizing group ACORN stated they had registered 1.3 million new voters, the real number is actually closer to 450,000. The overstated count is due to already registered voters changing their address, and 400,000 registrations rejected by election officials, a faulty rate of 30 percent.

Obama's Fundraising Drops 50%:
Obama reports spending $105 million in the first two weeks of October, while raising $36 million during the same period - a reduction of 50 percent from September. Obama and the DNC have approximately $95 million left. McCain and the RNC report $84 million on hand with restricted spending coming from accepting public financing. McCain is currently spending approximately $1.5 million per day.

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Is the ACORN Voter Fraud Story Cause For Concern?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

This is nuts, right? (Pun . . . present.) Earlier this week, the Las Vegas offices of the ACORN organization were raided looking for evidence of voter fraud and now the organization's voter registration drives are being investigated in at least half dozen states. In Connecticut, one Republican registrar of voters called to check out a suspicious registration, only to get the hopeful voter's mom on the phone - and to find out that the voter in question is only 12 years old. The RNC says, "This is a group that has tried to undermine and subvert our election system and laws by flooding local election officials with fraudulent cards."

In a claim hanging from the same tree, officials in Indiana say that 2,000 registration forms filled out in conjunction with the group are fundamentally suspect. Delivered just before the deadline to register, one member of the Elections Board says, "All the signatures looked exactly the same. Everything on the card filled out looks exactly the same." In Missouri, similar scrutiny, with one official saying, "We have identified about 100 duplicates, and probably 280 addresses that don't exist, people who have driver's license numbers that won't verify or Social Security numbers that won't verify. Some have no address at all." ACORN workers have pleaded guilty for election fraud in the state before.

The crux of the situation is complicated, with both sides claiming high stakes. Is the question of Obama's involvement in the controversy (one adamantly refuted by his campaign despite an apparent $800,000 contribution) distracting from the fact it's happening at all? Would removing the partisan aspect make the argument stronger - or does the blame fall square in Obama's lap?

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YouTube and PBS Say Tape Your Vote For History and Hijinks

CitizenSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:30:49 -0700

With all of the ACORN and voter registration snafu stories floating around, it's nice to find comfort in the cozy arms of technology. That is to say, if you have a video camera, use it. YouTube and PBS are teaming up to encourage voters to upload any footage of the voting process onto a new website. The Video Your Vote site wants to spark people to "document the energy and excitement, as well as any problems you may see." The best clips will air on PBS.

Some bad-voting situations to be on the lookout for? Excessively long lines, broken voting machines, or "overly aggressive" voter identification procedures. But be careful about local rules before putting on your documentarian hat. Some states aren't excited about having you film - a move that could end up in cuffs. The site has a link to the Citizen Media Law Project to tell you who has laws against what. Florida, Georgia and Michigan all prohibit photos and recording equipment in polling places. Are you planning on recording the day in photo or video?

Debate Rebate: Our Reactions to the Last Presidential Debate

CitizenSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:37:58 -0700

They may have very well saved the best for last. This was the most direct, most on task, most like an actual conversation debate we've had thus far. And not a moment too soon. The candidates were juxtaposed beautifully and answered questions not only on specific policies, but on the conduct of their campaigns. It was nail-biting, uncomfortable at times, but deftly handled by moderator Bob Schieffer. Here's what we thought:

Citizen: Wearing each other's "team" ties in what I hoped was a nod toward cooperation, the economy was ripped open right at the start. Both candidates spoke straight at the camera, directly it seemed, to me. It was eerie and wildly effective, with Joe the Plumber becoming an instantaneous celebrity, the cornerstone of their duel over small business taxes. Earmarks and pork barrel and budget overruns, oh my. I do like Obama's line of needing a "scalpel, not a hatchet," if only because it comforts me that he intends to cut spending as well.

When Schieffer pinned the candidates down on the negative aspects of the campaign I was breathless. It was baldly frank (seeming, I mean it is politics) talk, and when McCain whipped out the stat that Obama had spent the most money on negative campaign ads, it hit home - but was parried well by Obama's stat that six in 10 perceive McCain as negative. Then, the politest knock down-drag out on Ayers and ACORN. We knew it was coming all day, but when it did it was all the more potent. When Roe v. Wade popped up, I was actually heartened to hear civilized talk of the difference between choosing judges for their ideologies, and choosing judges for their adherence to the Constitution - it could be the most cogent debate on the issue we've had thus far.

To see the rest of my thoughts, and what Liberty has to say, read more.

As for the "Gore sighs" the nonverbals that will kill a performance: both were guilty of the smirk, if only perhaps to relieve the tension. I know I could barely handle it, it stands to reason it had to express itself somewhere, so to speak. In all, the debate was like a floaty butterfly fairy tale meets a brick wall. The second you got caught up in the story Obama was spinning, then came McCain with his smack down of reality. Even 20 months in, it was confusing and captivating and perfectly encapsulated these diametrically opposed yet unflinching campaigns - and illuminated the very choice we all have to make in 20 short days. Now as Bob Schieffer's mother says, "Go vote now. It will make you feel big and strong."

Liberty: In the most high tension, and perhaps most conversational, debate John McCain came out looking for a game changer. McCain seemed rested and eager (did you hear the Al Gore sighs?) while Obama seemed reluctant and a little low on energy. Still, Obama's calm demeanor allowed him to rise above a potential catty debate, and focus on his issue advantages.

Coming out strong, McCain's crisp statement: "Senator Obama, I'm not President Bush" had no matching punch line from Obama, perhaps giving McCain an edge in the sound-bite battle.

In the middle, the candidates spent much time talking about attack ads, leaving me lamenting that this is what the American people get to listen to from their presidential candidates. By noting that William Ayers has become the center of McCain's campaign, Obama made McCain's campaign look deaf to the real issues facing the American people. After setting the record straight about his strained connection to Ayers, Obama then took the opportunity to make a positive and reassuring argument about the capable people who will advise him, such as Warren Buffet and former NATO head Jim Jones.

After a discussion on healthcare, which left me thinking Obama knows more about McCain's plan than McCain does, the two got talking about abortion. Obama called out the McCain/Palin refrain that he supported infanticide, pointing out that there was already a law on the books requiring care to babies of botched abortions when he voted against an Illinois bill for other reasons.

Obama then took the dialogue to another level saying that he wants everyone to work together to reduce the number of abortions and promote adoption. McCain went on to slam the pro-choice movement with the pejorative "pro-abortion." I'm still wondering if considering the country's at war and in an economic crisis, and after eight-years of a pro-life President and more Roe v. Wade, whether the abortion discussion was worth the time.

While this was McCain's best performance by far, I think Obama maintained a presidential and informed presence. Maybe I can find Joe the Plumber and ask him what he thinks.

What did you think?

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