The ACLU bring gifts to the Obama administration

I never thought about donating to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) as suggested in this diary. I never knew that much about them. I do like the fact they seem to have embraced the Obama administration. Are they a lobby? An AIPAC satellite?

This brings me to the question as to what cause I will now donate since the presidential elections are over. I have gotten into the habit of donating to causes now and since I cut off my cell phone and am now rolling my own cigarettes, I am now awaiting the tax brake Pres. Obama is going to give us senior citizens on our Social Security checks. It will not make me rich but it will increase my disposable income so I can donate more to a cause. I would look at my donations as earning a right to use the public access to write my blog. How’s ‘bout that!! That would make me real middle-class. Hot dog!
As always,
BB
P.S. As to the new stimulus package, I want absolutely nothing Nancy Pelosi has anything to do with. Nothing, you hear? Can’t stand even hearing her name.
The ACLU is moving ahead with restoring our freedom!
by markj
Sat Nov 08, 2008 at 05:14:04 AM PST
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/8/74927/5929/612/657389
As it turns out, the ACLU is just as concerned about reversing the laws that Bush created as I am and as I wrote about the other day.
The ACLU has written a document for the Obama transition team titled, "Actions For Restoring America; How to Begin Repairing the Damage to Freedom in America After Bush". (PDF)

And
A few highlights from first 100 days section are:
Issue an executive order recognizing the president's obligation to comply with FISA and other statutes, requiring the executive branch to do so, and prohibiting the NSA from collecting the communications, domestic or international, of U.S. citizens and residents.

And
The president should issue an executive order, on the first day in office, that orders all agencies to take immediate steps to ensure that torture and abuse is prohibited by the federal government, that no agency may use any practice not authorized by the Army Field Manual on Intelligence Interrogations, that no president or any other person may order or authorize torture or abuse, that all violations of Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions are prohibited, that all persons being held overseas must be registered with the International Committee of the Red Cross in conformity with Defense Department practices, and that all intelligence interrogations must be video recorded.

And
Also, if you haven't joined the ACLU, consider doing so. No other group that I know of is fighting for our freedoms in so many ways.

Can Rahm Emanuel dance a Pas de Deux with America? Will he?

Is Obama Screwing His Base with Rahm Emanuel Selection?
By Stephen Zunes, AlterNet. Posted November 7, 2008.
http://www.alternet.org/election08/106189/is_obama_screwing_his_base_with_rahm_emanuel_selection/
Excerpt:
(Pres. Elect) Obama has asked conservative Clinton vet Rahm Emanuel to be his chief of staff -- it's not a good sign for progressives.

Due to the fact Israel has caused so much mischief in the Middle East and around the world, I just wonder as I wander if Rahm Emanuel will continue the legacy after having the ear of President Obama. Metaphorically, I wonder if he would be a good Albrecht (Giselle) or Sigfried (Swan Lake) in dancing with the Obama administration. At this point, I can only remain optimistic. However……

There is the third letter that I know of from Pres. Ahmandinejad of Iran that is going unanswered, at least, according to Pres. Elect Obama, for the moment. Is this the results of advice from gate-keeper elect Rahm Emanuel? I had to take pause at the news conference on Friday when Pres. Elect Obama said of Iran, “…we will not accept a nuclear Iran” as if Pres. Ahmandinejad could not reply, “We will not accept you as President of the U.S.” And Pres. Ahmandinejad could also ask Pres. Elect Obama does he not have enough on his plate to deal with already then messing into the internal affairs of his country?

However, Pres. Elect Obama may have read the memo that Iran does not need nuclear bombs to get rid of pesty Israel. It is my understanding Israel does not even have a constitution so I imagine decisions are made up on the fly. Instant whole cloth for the occasion comes to mind which could justify their numerous erratic decisions which they depend on their multitude of just as pesty surrogates to implement.

Pres. Elect Obama goes to the White House at an invitation (cleared by Rahm?) from Pres. Bush. I see it as all positives. I am not aware of any negatives Pres. Bush has directed toward Sen. Obama throughout this whole presidential campaign. If there were any negatives, I have not heard of them. I think Pres. Bush knows deep down into his heart how great this country could be if someone were President who knows what he is doing. I think Pres. Bush is going to personally roll out the red carpet himself for Pres. Elect Obama and his family on Monday and I think they are going to lunch together. It is going to be a great day! I feel it in my bones! Pres. Bush loves America. He really does and I wonder if deep in his heart he harbors ill will towards Limbaugh and Hannity. I note they have not gotten any “Medals of Freedom” from him. (Hope I haven’t spoken too soon.) (Smile)
Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-Span and the spirit of the unborn for the help,
BB

What does SYFPH mean?

Enough Already with SYFPH
by Meteor Blades
Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 06:05:58 PM PST
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/6/125039/682/203/655772
Excerpt:
How dare you criticize President-Elect Obama. He knows what he's doing. Just trust him. Quit with all the concern. Chill. No backseat driving. Stay in line. No Thursday morning quarterbacking. Shut up. Shut the fuck up.

Some months ago a diarist asked writers to identify initials they were using in their post. If not identifying the initials in the title, at least in the first paragraph.

With sincere attempts trying to read the fine writing of Meteor Blades and a few of the 1008 comments, I am still left in the dark as to the thrust of the diary due to the fact I honestly do not know what SYFPH means. I have come to know what MSM, GOTV, SCOTUS, STFU and a few more mean. SYFPH? Not a clue! There are so many words in the English language beginning with the letters S,Y,F,P, and H and I have other things to do. (Smile)
As always,
BB

America should coalesce with her music (Update)

What disturbed me during the celebrations on Nov. 4 was the lack of cohesiveness in people expressing their joys due to the outcome of the election. There were of course the individual joys we witnessed but, In my opinion, what was sorely missing was the collective joy only made possible by the singing of a patriotic song or two.

To be honest, I think associating Black music with a public political event is designed to polarize, antagonize and inflame. It has no place in our new society. It is now up to Music Teachers, Music Therapist, Social Directors and music managers to teach and promote patriotic music to prepare the populace for participation in future and meaningful public political events. I would love to have seen Oprah and Senior Jesse Jackson singing “God Bless America” through their tears of joy.

The song “Signed, sealed and delivered” is not one of the songs I would have chosen for the Nov. 4th celebration were it up to me to chose the music for that occasion. I would have pulled out one of my old song books, turned to the “Patriotic Music and Songs” section and programmed them into the occasion. Who, with any authority, would have objected? (Smile) The song “Signed, sealed and delivered” has its place but I just happen to think the celebration in the park in Chicago on Nov. 4th was not one of them.

America has to heal and one of the best forms for healing is music and in this case, music everyone can identify with and feel a collective sense of well being. There should be many around the world that associate our patriotic music with a new America and instantly recognize it when they hear it. I was amused last evening seeing a montage of election night events with zydeco music playing in the background. It was delightful. There was a song of long ago, “Little things mean a lot” that comes to mind.
Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-Span and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB
(Update)
Obama is black? excuse me, but....
by Started Smoking at 52
Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 10:47:57 PM PST
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/7/0959/50940/580/656404
Excerpt: Opening paragraph
Since the election, there has been a sudden surge in the MSM to the effect that our president elect is an African-American. They gush over the historic nature of this turn of events. They are bringing out black poets, black philosophers, black historians. At the moment of victory, we saw Jesse Jackson in tears. We saw more African American faces smiling and waving than at any time in the previous year of media coverage. Why are we shown these images only after the election? Is there something going on under the surface? (Author: You bet’cha!)

And
The end of Push-Down Diaries?
by SteinL
Thu Nov 06, 2008 at 11:54:41 PM PST
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/7/22048/2346/541/656459
Excerpt:
I've been in progressive circles long enough to know that any exchange of opinion is usually more a mêlée than a discourse, and that's OK, it adds blood and temper to the process. But how much do we really get done if we're all fighting for the pulpit?
And that's what the diaries are - they're a pulpit. And maybe one should ask: is what I have on my mind important enough to share with everyone - because while this is the internet, and you're all alone at home - there's a whole bunch of people watching, and reading. Do they need this particular Push-Down diary right now?
(Author) In my opinion, one of the uncomfortable brilliance of the Dkos website is the realization of one’s own mortality and the fact, as recorded by Omar Khayyan, “The writing finger writes and having written moves on…”

First thing: Edcumacation and no Rahn Emanual

If at all possible, I feel high up on the Obama administration’s agenda should be education. Most of us never knew there was such a critical lack of education in this country. In my opinion, to try to take that same group of uneducated people and move them forward would be still another uphill battle.

Pay off teachers college debts. If using the teachers already in college and using other strategies, our country could dramatically raise its literacy lever in one year. Pres. Chavez did it.

Rahn Emanual has dual citizenship with Israel. I THINK he has fought in the Israeli army and he has to be an AIPAK boy. That in it self is not bad but it may inflame relations with efforts to quail Israli/Palistenian/Iran and Hammas conflicts. In my opinion, it could not help. A bad choice for Chief of Staff. I don’t think the Democrats he put into Congress in ‘06 have worked out so well.
As always,
BB

We jest fine down here Lord, how ‘bout yourself?

When big nurse California came running out of the delivery room crying “She’s here! She’ here!’ We all joined her in her glee as she continued, “Baby America is here. Praise the Lord!” Then she went running down the corridor yelling, “Hallelujah! She’s here, she’s here!” as Nurses Ohio and Pennsylvania held the doors to the delivery room open as Sen. Obama emerged holding the baby. “Ladies and gentlemen” he said. “Let me introduce you to Baby America ’08” and we all reverently responded with bowed heads, “Amen!” We could still here Big Bertha in the distance wings of the hospital.

It was a difficult birth so Baby America ‘08 has to stay in the hospital nursery for awhile. Seems like she will be ready to go home to the White House around January 20th or so. There are some preparations that have to be made.
Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-Span and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB
P.S. Save for one song, (maybe) the music at the park in Illinois where Sen. Obama spoke was dreadful. It is hard to think there were any Music Therapy rules applied in the selections. This was a patriotic event for ALL Americans. Looking forward to a different Minister of Music in the coming days. I don’t think they are that expensive. Who’s accountable?

When the bell rings, you move to the next class!

While looking at the various diaries showing pictures of workers in the Obama campaign offices, I look back in nostalgia at my days as a teacher.

As I recall it was in the early to mid ‘80’s my school district asked teachers to promote more student interaction and tolerance by having them as much as possible involved in group activities. It was during the time of the big influx of Asians (they were some smart rascals) and Latinos. I was already doing it and it was nice to note the school district felt a need to make it a strong suggestion; mandate, if you will.

As a teacher, giving a lesson ending up with having students brake up into groups is one beautiful sight to behold. You see constellations forming and you smile. At times, you may have to make “suggestions” but the beauty of the act remains beautiful and positive.

The second beauty is seeing who emerges as “the leader”. That one is always full of surprises. Some people you least expect would say, “Alright. What do you think Lois?” And the leadership is established. And third, to witness the classroom go into what educators call the learning environment noise. Actually, it is not noise as we usually think of it. Rather it is what I would call educational learning murmurs. Each group doing its thing and you know, as a teacher, learning is taking place on so many levels in the various groups due to the fact your ear is tuned both in the collective and into each individual group; an acquired teaching skill.

That is what I think about when I see the various pictures of campaign workers in their headquarters. What they have learned and continue to learn until the campaign offices closes down is humanly incalculable. This is one of the benefits of “Yes we can!” They are America. Looking forward to hearing from them after the bell has rung on election day as they are about to move to the next class. I know the Obama inner-circle is going to treat them as the precious jewels they are. Precious, I say.
As always,
BB

Election eve in West Virginia
by Carnacki
Mon Nov 03, 2008 at 08:26:30 PM PST
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/3/2333/67123/135/651764

Joe the Plumber and John Wilkes Booth in metaphor

Sen. McCain gives a “political” weapon to *Joe the Plumber to rub out Sen. Obama. Joe the Plumber comes close to doing it but does chicken out at the last minute. Sen. McCain and wife Cindy are angry at Joe the Plumber and cut off his future financial rewards for not doing their dastardly deed. Joe the Plumber rejects and denounces Sen. McCain on election day and the villagers sing his praises for the rest of his life. “A Hero,” they hale. He will have propelled himself the “Good guy” counterpart to John Wilkes Booth. (Ahem!) Do I hear historians storming the gates of their publishers? (Smile)
As always,
BB

*'Joe the Plumber' Plans Life After 2008 Election
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/11/03/joe-plumber-plans-life-election/
Excerpt:
Joe the Plumber is short on cash and unemployed but that's not stopping him from opening a new charitable foundation and penning a book on American values.
"I got no financial offers. I am broke," Joe Wurzelbacher said Monday, explaining that he's got a few ideas on how to spread the wealth to himself and others following bogus reports of a professional management deal and potential country music career.

Genealogy

Toots begets Ann. Ann begets Barack and Barack begets the world. Not a bad blood line I’d say. R.I.P. Toots. Bravo!!
As always,
BB

Nervously awaiting the arrival of Baby America ‘08.

I’m gonna call Citizen’s new baby “‘08” for short. Citizen’s contractions have already begun. Waiting for a new arrival is always a nail-biter. Color me nervous ninny. A new baby. A new America! Baby America ‘08! WOW!! Sen. Obama is the attending physician.
As always,
BB

Why we thundered “Not this time!” and meant it.

I would like to note this is perhaps the first presidential campaign wherein so many people made relationships between the competing campaigns to Shakespearian tragedies. It is my opinion no presidential campaign in the history of this country since the Lincoln/Douglas Debates has garnered human emotions so succinctly as duly noted by us bloggers. However, I do believe this campaign went a bit further in interpreting human emotions. At the beginning of this campaign and at the off set of the primaries there was in the air emotional disturbances saying that Sen. Obama’s presidential campaign was going to end up as just another Black’s failed aspirations to become a meaningful entity on the political and social stages of the United States of America. It was at that point we bloggers collective said, “Not this time!”

“Not this time” was said by ol’ Black gizzards like myself, by Anglos and an inordinate about of Jews. We did not say it with lip service. We did not say “Not this time!” as a matter of mere social or racial concerns. We said it out of righteousness. We said “Not this time” making a commitment to fight people’s souls for righteousness sake. There is a difference in making a pledge and making an oath unto oneself. When you make an oath unto yourself, you have committed all of the networking facilities within your body whether they like it or not. The energies of your soul have spoken to you! You talk differently, you walk differently and nothing about you is the same. Change. The lyrics to the song say, “There’s gonng be a change in the weather, a change in the sea. From now on there’s gonna be a change in me. My walk will be different, my talk and my name. Nothing ’bout me gonna be the same”.

Your subordinate energies have no choices it can make and your sub-conscience and all its relations are assigned the duties to shut up and sit down. You are willing to sacrifice all of them with or without their help. Your soul has spoken and that trumps everything.

Naturally, you do all you can to achieve a concerted effort knowing the tenderness of ignorance lurks everywhere within your body. When you have made a commitment to fight for somebody’s soul, you are in it for the long haul; ’til death do we part, so to speak. We bloggers were not playing! We literally meant we would fight to the death that Sen. Obama’s presidential campaign was not going to end up on the heap of thwarted endeavors of Blacks of the past who were silenced due to the fact they had something meaningful to say to America.

Sen. Obama has asked us not to get to self assured. Yeah. Right! Your soul knows when it has triumphed but we’ll dutifully hold our Hosannas until Wednesday morning. Sen. Obama has also told the canvassers to try to keeping people waiting in line to stay in line thus my reverie:

-Grandpa, you say you are going out to sing to the people standing in long lines?
-You and your brother are going to come with me if you Mother says it’s OK.
-I don’t wanna go.
-I figure ever hundred feet or so, I’ll stop and sing “God Bless America.”
- “God bless America?”
- Yes, and after I going down the line singing “God bless America,” I’ll start over at the beginning of the line singing “My country, ‘tis of thee.” and work my way to the end of the line again. Might even sing “Kum by ya” (Come by here, Lord. I want you to see something.)
- I don’t know “My country ‘tis of thee”.
- I’ll write it down for you. There may even be a church choir group who would render us a number or even a Mariachi Band.
-Grand-dad! A Mariachi Band?
-They live here too, don’t they? We entertainers have to do our part too. Sen. Obama said try to keep the people waiting in line so they can vote.
Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-Span and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB

Feed Our Volunteers: Cooking From Kossacks
by Auntie Neo Kawn
Sun Nov 02, 2008 at 02:35:53 PM PDT
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/2/162728/448/826/650064