Tikkun Olam and Choosing Between Two Candidates

I remember the first indication my youngest son was a political prodigy. It was early 2004, and I looked out the window, seeing Jordan, then nine, taking down one of my political signs. My friends have an idea what that means -- do anything you want, but don't mess with my political signs. I flung open the door and screamed at my son, forgetting my commitment to adult composure, "Hey! What are you doing to my Mike Miles sign?! You put that back right now!"

Jordan, looking surprised, looked up at me and said, "It's okay, Mom. You must not have realized you put the wrong sign up. This guy is running against Ken Salazar, and he is the good guy. Didn't you see the commercials?"

Half angry, half overjoyed that one of my kids actually carried my political compulsion gene, I asked him, "So what do you know about Ken Salazar?"

Jordan: "He wears a cowboy hat, Mom, and he cares about stuff that people in Colorado care about like the water and the air and our land. He is definitely going to win."

"But Jordan", I said, "Mike Miles is a school administrator and he is against the war. He doesn't like George Bush and he says he wants change. Isn't that cool? You know, like 'tikkun olam.' He wants to have a world that is more loving and peaceful, and safe for kids."

Jordan: "That is good, Mom, but the cowboy guy is going to win because he wears a cowboy hat. Nobody in Colorado would vote for someone without a cowboy hat. Ken Salazar knows how to ride a horse! I bet he is really nice, too, 'cause he is a Democrat like us."

I looked down at my son and was amazed that at nine, he knew about electability, demographics and marketing. If it was that obvious to a third grader, could he be right? I helped him take down the Mike Miles sign, and the next day, we drove over to the Arapahoe County Democrat's office and we picked up a sign for Ken Salazar. A week later, while driving Jordan back from school, he asked to use my (new) cell phone. I listened as he dialed.

Jordan: "Can I speak to Ken Salazar, please? Oh, okay, can you tell him Jordan Greenhut called? I sent him an email, I think, but I don't know if he has a computer. My phone number is ...

A few days later, we received an email from Ken Salazar's office returning Jordan's many messages. In the months to come, Jordan founded a group called "Kids for Ken Salazar." Our entire family joined Jordan in canvassing at soccer games, school events, Halloween parties, and everywhere children congregated. We gave them suckers and tootsie rolls attached to a copy of the "Kids for Ken Salazar" policy statement. We traveled to Alamosa and met the Salazar family, where Ken Salazar's brother Peter read a speech Jordan wrote for the rally-goers. Scrawled on the original note about caring for the elderly, funding schools, preventing child abuse, caring for the environment and other issues the kids cared about, Ken Salazar wrote across the top, "I love you, Jordan".

Jordan also read his statement to a crowd of 500 people on the stairs of the Colorado State Capitol. Our whole family celebrated Ken's victory at the Convention Center with hundreds of other volunteers. Later, Ken's State Policy Director spoke to Jordan's third grade class (that is another story I will tell in another blog!).

Jordan had been right. Ken Salazar, like Mike Miles, believed in "tikkun olam" (Hebrew for "repairing the world"), but he also had great marketing.

Lesson learned!

***

Fast forward to winter 2008. Our family was deeply embroiled in a daily argument, much like households across America, about "Hilary Clinton or Barack Obama?" On Team Obama were my then 15 year old son Jonathan and my husband, Saul. Team Hillary was I and 12 year old Jordan. My oldest son, Adam, was the independent in our home, and we campaigned vigorously for his vote, knowing he would be voting for the first time as an adult.

"Hillary is the more electable candidate" (I had learned this lesson once before), we argued. "She fights hard for health care and she cares about women and children."

"Barack is cooler than Hillary, and everyone is going to vote for him. Just wait. You'll see. He is against the war, and he wants all kids to go to college." they argued.

This argument went on for weeks. Jonathan recruited his friends who increasingly wore t-shirts saying things like "Barack and Roll." Jordan and I bought Hillary Clinton paraphernalia. My husband started as an Obama alternate, and I was a Hillary delegate to the county. We each went to our respective rallies, caucuses, conventions, etc. The intensity of the campaign was hotter in our house than it was in Pennsylvania, we thought. The lawn was aerated beautifully in 2008 -- I would put up a Hillary sign and Jonathan would sneak out and replace it with a Barack sign. Jon would go to school and I would replace it again. This went on for weeks.

When Barack Obama received the nomination, we went to Invesco Field together as a family. We celebrated like it was 1999 -- only much more so. The boys became official interns, we started an Arapahoe County Teens for Obama group, and I became their mentor (driver). As a family, we scheduled our lives around the Campaign for Change Office and our two different neighborhood teams (kids don't like volunteering with their parents, we were told).

We took the day off school to be poll-watchers and GOTV door-knockers, and we celebrated the amazing victory together with our friends. Electability proved not to be all it was cracked up to be, we thought. Barack Obama stood for a compassionate change for America -- caring for all people of all ages, all religions, all nationalities, all states, all races, all genders, all affiliations. Tikkun olam was alive and well, and we were surprised in what seemed like a new shift for Colorado.

Lesson learned?

***

October, 2009. Jordan and Jonathan are burned out on politics and say they are not going to get involved in the 2010 race, they tell me. Jordan, now almost 14, and Jonathan, now 16 and a half, have discovered girls. Barack Obama shirts sit collecting spider webs in their closets, and the only race they care about is the World Series.

"That's too bad" I tell my youngest. There is a really fun senate race going on, and both of the candidates are Jewish. They are both young and cool and one of them even has "Tikkun Olam" on his website.

"Show me," Jordan says. I did.

"Cool".

I explain to Jordan that Michael Bennet has already been our Senator since Ken Salazar was moved up to a more important position, and he was picked to replace him. "One of his parents was Jewish," I told him, "but he doesn't practice it. He still cares about tikkun olam, though. He is a Dad who voted to give health care to children and equal pay for women. He wants to give more opportunities to children who grew up here like you, but whose parents are immigrants, so they can go to college, too."

"The other man," I told Jordan, "is single, very cool, and has traveled around the world. He has worked very hard to get people to care about the suffering in Darfur." Jordan was definitely intrigued, since his bar mitzvah project was a benefit for "Doctors without Borders." Jordan asked for the proceeds to benefit people in Darfur.

Jordan immediately became a fan of Andrew Romanoff, and said, "Mom, I think I will work for that guy in the summer." I explained to Jordan that I thought Michael Bennet, who also had a record of caring for people, was probably more electable because Democrats and Republicans seem to like him for different reasons. "Remember Ken Salazar and the cowboy hat, Jordan?" I asked him.

Jordan: "Mom, now that Colorado knows that you don't have to wear a cowboy hat to win, it doesn't really matter. Just pick the one you like the best. Which one does Barack Obama like better?"

"Michael Bennet," I told him.

"Which one does Rabbi Foster like better?"

"I am not sure, but I think, Michael Bennet. I bet he probably likes them both, though, actually. They both believe in 'tikkun olam.'"

Jordan: "Which one wants health care for everybody?"

Me: "Both of them."

Jordan: "Which one cares more about workers?"

Me: "We're still watching to figure that out", I said honestly.

I went on to tell him both of them care about children and old people, both of them want to take care of our land and our water and our air, both of them treat immigrants fairly, and both of them are not prejudiced against gays and lesbians, or anyone else.

Jordan: "If I pick one guy and you pick the other one, is that okay? Then, if your guy wins, we can all work for him, and if my guy wins, then you have to work for mine, okay?"

"Sure," I agree, shaking hands, "...just don't mess with my lawn sign."

An Open Rosh Hashanah Challenge to Andrew Romanoff

(This is my personal opinion only. I do not speak for any organization or office with which I am affiliated.)

Dear Andrew Romanoff,

I used to believe in you, Former Speaker of the House, Andrew Romanoff. Really I did...and I want to again. I cried when Gov. Bill Ritter picked Michael Bennet for US Senate.  Ask my friends.

If you really want my vote, and the votes of other regular Coloradoans like me, you would not be resting on your laurels on what you did when you were in office at the state level. Where have you been since you left?

If you really care about my sister, the preschool teacher who has never been able to afford health care insurance at any point during her adult life, despite the fact she works eleven hours a day, why haven't we seen you at one of the (approximately) fifty town halls, rallies, protests, meetings, or other events my friends and I have been to this past five months on health care reform? Other legislators like Bennet, Perlmutter, Kefalas, Kagan, Williams, Ryden, both Carrolls (Morgan and Terrance) were there. Even hiding-from-the-sunlight Senator Udall was at one of them. State Rep. Daniel Kagan was at many of them. It's not like he didn't have better things to do, either. He was in office at the time.

How many did we see you at Andrew? ZERO. ZIP. Nada. Where were you while we fought for the lives of 45,000 Americans who die every year because they don't have adequate health care (per a new study referenced by msnbc just last night)? Where were you during the past 8 months you could have been leading this charge for no political gain? Seriously, Mr. Romanoff, where were you?

Some of my friends and I didn't take a vacation this year because of people like my brother. Dean is an independent home contractor in Michigan who cannot afford health care for his very painful diverticulitis and hernia. Instead, my friends and I went to rallies all summer, fighting for my brother Dean, and the tens of millions of other Americans like him. The thought that one rally, one phone bank, one town hall counter-protest might somehow effect a deciding vote was enough for us to not go on my vacation this year. My brother has two small children and may lose his home soon, because he has to pay for his son's health care for a congenital issue that couldn't wait. My brother will be driving to CO soon to do a kitchen remodel, doubled over in pain, so he can drive back to northern Michigan just to pay his rent, so his babies won't be living on the street. Did you take a vacation this summer, Andrew? He didn't. Many of us regular middle class Americans who care about getting federal health care legislation passed didn't, or couldn't -- for both financial and moral reasons.

Candidate Romanoff -- I believed in you; you let us down on the fight for federal health care finance reform so far, but it is not too late for you to do something about it now.

By the way, guess who was there most of the time these past 8 months, fighting with us on health care insurance reform? MICHAEL BENNET. If he wasn't there personally, he always sent his best staffers, even on the days when he only had two of them. Yeah, you know the guy -- Ritter's pick. I may not like how he got into office, but I love the way he delivered on something that will mean life or death for some of my family members. I love the way he has delivered for my aging parents who cannot afford the co-pays on my Dad's 13 post-cancer surgery medications.

Check my photos on facebook. I am glad I chronicled the last six months of health care reform events in Colorado. I am sad to say the only place I saw you was at a fundraising dinner in Arapahoe County. Check my photos. It's in there, too. And yes, I did tell you I was one of your strongest supporters when I saw you, but that was before I knew you would be throwing your hat into the ring now, after letting the rest of us in Colorado carry the torch on federal health care reform without you. I honestly thought you would do something first to show us why you deserve to play on the big stage. Spend a little time volunteering for Organizing for America in your free time? Nope, haven't seen you there, either. (Apparently, neither has Barack Obama...)

Prove me wrong, Andrew. Get Wade Norris or Cary Kennedy or Cindy Lowery or your County Chairs and Officers, or any one of your other high visibility supporters to run some phone banks, rallies, town halls, or other events while we are on the home stretch on health care reform. Have them take on Max Baucus - show us what you can really do. Throw your passion and your legions of supporters behind this one like Senator Michael Bennet and his bare-bones staff have in 64 counties these past 8 months, banging his fist down on tables and saying, "Health Care Insurance Reform is a moral obligation".

Stand up to tea-party protesters for all of my unemployed friends who cannot afford their COBRA premiums, or for whom unemployment is about to run out, who will soon join the 14,000 people per week in America who lose their health care insurance. Senator Bennet took on an ambush of many of them in Highlands Ranch at David Canter's house. Check my facebook photo albums. It's in there.
This isn't a state level fight, Mr. Romanoff --- this is federal, this is big time. Show us what you can do on the big stage. WHEN I SEE AS MANY ROMANOFF SHIRTS AT PHONE BANKS FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM as I have Bennet shirts over the last 8 months, I'll document all of it with my inexpensive camera, like I have all the others. Go ahead; make up for the last 8 months, where the only place full-time health care reform activists like my friends and I have seen you is a formal fundraising dinner in Arapahoe County.

My camera is ready, Mr. Speaker. Please prove me wrong. We dare you - me and family and my friends. I wouldn't offer you a challenge if I didn't think you were up to it. I think you are definitely up to it.
Oh, by the way, there are numerous health care insurance reform events this weekend (details below). I know it is Rosh Hashanah, but maybe some of your supporters won't be celebrating it like you and I will be. (I am taking a day off to pray for my parents, my brother, my sister and about 45 million other people's family members.)

As yet undecided voter,

Nancy Cronk

P.S. L'Shanah Tovah - May you be inscribed for a peaceful, prosperous, compassionate and EFFECTIVE New Year.
(This is my personal opinion only. I do not speak for any organization or office with which I am affiliated.)
Health Care Reform Events for Saturday, September 19, 2009:

#1: Littleton: Donovan O'Dell, Community Organizer. Two shifts: 10:00 am and 1:00 pm. Location: Upper Ridgewood Park (The name on the park sign has been changed to Charley Emley Park), 2301 W Briarwood Avenue, Corner of Prince St. & W Briarwood Ave., Littleton, CO 80120. Contact Donovan directly for more info at littletondems.dpo@gmail.com
#2 Aurora: Joseph Soto, OFA Intern, Organizer. Time: 10:00 - 1:00 pm. Location: Bicentennial Park, 13655 E. Alameda Ave, Aurora CO.
#3 Denver: Walk into the Colorado Dems Party HQ office on Santa Fe. Ask for a walk-list and get to work. For other locations and times, contact your county Organizing for America leaders, Democratic Party Chairs, or call the Dem HQ for more info.

Right Out of the Republican Playbook

Right out of the Republican Playbook
(Also posted on Square State)
by Nancy Cronk

It is said, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Imagine a relay race between the Democrats and the Republicans. Winner takes all. If Democrats win, innocent people's lives will be made better -- a stronger economy, health care insurance for everyone, green jobs, clean air, protected wetlands, guaranteed rights for all citizens, safer schools, etc. If the Ruplicans win, more corporate profit, more cheap labor, and the institutions that helped them get there remain in power for years to come.

The Republicans, licking their wounds from the 2008 election, have learned that splitting up into two smaller teams, the religious conservatives and fiscal conservatives, didn't help their overall game plan. Together in Barack Obama, they see not only a black man with a white man's attitude (their view, not mine) but also a serious threat to the status quo of corporate rule. Since November of 2009, they have started to come together again, in the spirit of a common enemy.

The opponent seemed so formidable in November -- a coalition of Latinos, African-Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Americans, European Americans, women, children, men, homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual and "questioning". And so many others... Together, we blogged, we sang, we marched, we picketed, we rallied, we canvassed and we voted. We had to -- our lives and our homes and our families were at stake. Using the battle cry of "YES WE CAN", we proved mightier than the most powerful army on the face of this earth.

And on our victory night, newly elected President Barack Obama said, 'This is just the first step. The real work STARTS NOW."

It is said if you don't keep moving forward, you will slide backward. There is no such thing as a quiet system. Stop moving, and entropy takes over.

I spent the last week blogging almost daily on progressive blogs, trying to rally the troops a little more around health care finance reform. What I saw horrified me as nothing else can. I saw in-fighting. Raw, precious, valuable energy wasted on whose primary challenger was better than the other. Not energy spent organizing, calling neighbors and friends, planning events, writing to legislators who actually vote... just arguing. The three most precious revelations we learned in the Obama campaign, "watch each other's back", "tell your own personal story" and "focus on issues not personalities", seem to have all but disapeared.


"My Senate candidate is more supportive of the public option than your Senator".
"But my Senate candidate drives a more fuel-efficient car."

"Barack Obama (or substitute the name of any recently elected Democratic official) has let us down".
"I am going to take my vote and go start a third party (a variation of taking ones marbles and going home)."
Meanwhile, the Republicans are figuring out how to work together as a team again. They're watching us, one eye glancing over their shoulders, hoping the punches we throw at each other will wear us out before they are called into the ring. The fiscal conservatives are financing the Sarah Palin wack-a-doos and putting them on buses, or training them to be lobbyists. The insurance companies have been working behind the scenes, spending $350 million so far to buy votes against health care fiance reform.

And stil we argue. "Van Jones was a saint. He should have his own holiday".

"Van Jones sabotaged us. He never should have signed that petition, even if the whole country knows George Bush had something to do with 911".

Republicans see what's going on, and they organizing while we fight amongst ourselves. Sound familiar? Does anyone remember a young smoke-bomb style distracion named Monica Lewisnsky? Anyone remember the next eight years after Democrats lost the White House, and the Senate and the Congress?

So, going back to the Chapter 4 of the Republican Handbook titled, "Divide and Conquer".  Divide? 
Check. Will we let them conquer, too?

Pedigree or Poverty: Is there a litmus test for US Senate?

Pedigree or Poverty: Is there a litmus test for US Senate?
(Cross posted on Square State)

On Monday, September 7th, Square State blogger “JO” wrote a diary titled, “Michael and Me”, chronicling the rise up the political ladder of US Senator Michael Bennet. In it, JO claimed Michael Bennet's family finances and social connections resulted in his rise to the top. If Michael Bennet got on the faster elevator to the top floor, does that mean he doesn't have a right to be there?

As someone who grew up in a working class, blue collar home from a huge family (not unlike Bill Ritter's or Ken Salazar's childhoods, except my family did not own a ranch), I am also a populist, suspicious of those who rise to the top quickly with help from "Daddy's connections". The possibility someone could become Superintendant of DPS without paying his/her dues as a teacher, disgusts me. If "connections" were involved, it was a slap in the face to hard-working teachers who toil away day after day, year after year, hoping for recognition and promotion. (I cannot speak to the accuracy of that story because I do not have the facts.)

The same argument could me made about Michael Bennet's appointment to the US Senate by Governor Bill Ritter. Bennet's appointment was a slap in the face to Andrew Romanoff, who worked tirelessly as CO Speaker-of-the-House and deserved the promotion. I don't know a single progressive, myself included, who was not surprised and irritated by the pick that first day. Countless blog entries on Square State and elsewhere attest to that fact.

Michael Bennet is now our US Senator, like it or not. The question is no longer, "Should he have been appointed?” the question is, "Should he stay?"

Michael Bennet has positioned himself as a moderate Democrat in a very purple state. That is a wise move. As much as we all respect and admire Andrew Romanoff and his many accomplishments, let's be real. He would not have even the slightest chance of winning the general election in a state with 6-foot privacy fences and an abundance of gun-shops. If you can't see that, go hang out in Elbert or Douglas or Larimer counties for awhile, and count the gun racks and "hippies use side door" signs. If the general election were between Andrew Romanoff and Michael Bennet(hypothetically speaking), Andrew Romanoff would win in Denver and Boulder, and Michael Bennet would win overall.

Aah, but "progressive" Barack Obama won in Colorado, you might point out. Barack Obama had a now-legendary ground game, and followed the worst President in the history of the United States. Barack Obama was in the right place at the right time, and was the right candidate. As my friend Ken Ohmstede recently said, "Andrew Romanoff is the right candidate at the wrong time". I have to agree with him.

Would I rather have a strong progressive as my US Senator? Absolutely! Do I believe one has even tofu's chance of becoming the most popular dish at Stampede? Hell, no.

Michael Bennet has travelled to 64 counties in Colorado, as of today. He started long before he thought he would have a primary challenger, listening to voters, meeting their families and learning about their needs and concerns. He didn't have to do that. He could be hiding somewhere with Mark Udall sipping Celestial Seasonings tea these past six months.

My gut tells me Michael Bennet is sincere in his concern for the well-being of others (all people, not just the wealthy), based on personal conversations and hearing numerous speeches. In his short time as US Senator, he has accomplished a great deal to help people I care about:
* was a cosponsor of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Prevention Act;
* was the deciding vote on the Credit Card Holders Bill of Rights;
* supported the Sander's amendment which would have capped credit card rates at 15% (it failed);
* supported Helping Families Save Their Homes Act;
* supported passage of Barack Obama's budget and the Recovery Act;
* supported the confirmation of Justice Sonia Sotomayor;
* voted for a public lands bill to protect national parks and open spaces;
* voted to expand SCHIP;
* voted for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act;
* has been a strong advocate for the public option (especially in contrast to Mark Udall, who must have come out, seen his shadow, and gone back into his hiding hole for six more weeks). This list does not include legislation Senator Bennet has introduced, which has not yet passed.

I am not formally endorsing either candidate, nor should I. The candidate who wins the primary, if there is one, will have my full, unequivocal support. I am trying to make sure the candidate who wins the primary will be tough enough, moderate enough, and respected enough by independents, to take on and win against their Republican challenger, whoever that may be. Losing one of our US Senate seats is not an option. To win in Colorado, all candidates in a statewide race need to win over independents. It's just that simple.

I have some questions for “JO the blogger”: The Kennedys were all children of great privilege who became heroes in modern American history. Can a rich kid ever make "the list of virtue" by his/her actions, or is there some kind of rule against it in the "American Dream Handbook"? As much as I love the almost-too-perfect real-life story of Barack Obama's rags-to-riches journey to the Presidency, is it realistic to expect all of our elected officials to come from poverty? In a democracy, shouldn't the rich be given the same opportunity to prove themselves as the rest of us? If his heart is in the right place, and he has proven himself to lead, does it really matter who his parents were?

Maybe I should ask Jared Polis.

Ritter Campaign Goes to the Dogs

Ritter Campaign Goes to the Dogs
(Cross posted on Square State)

"Ritter's Critters" - Come walk your dog with some of Gov. Bill Ritter's campaign staff at noon, Sunday, September 6th at Cherry Creek State Park off-leash dog park. Meet Marty, the official Ritter campaign canine. Ask staffers your questions, give them a letter to hand to the Governor, and/or get your photo taken with Marty in the parking lot. Come and have some fun and make your pooch happy, too! This is an informal event - Park entrance fees apply. You don't have to be a hard-core Bill Ritter supporter to come - just have some fun with local Dems and friends, and get your questions answered about his campaign.Nancy Cronk, 303-680-6243

BE SURE TO ENTER FROM THE SOUTH END OFF OF THE INTERSECTION AT PARKER AND ORCHARD ROADS.

Please pass this on to any dog-lovers in your life! Thanks.

Health Care Insurance Reform and The Working Poor

Health Care Insurance Reform and the Working Poor
(Cross posted on Square State)

One of the arguments from the health care debate the Republicans don't want to talk about is the number of working poor in the United States who work like dogs and still can't see a doctor.
My youngest sister Roxanne is 32 years old. She had some serious health issues as a kid, but is doing pretty well as an adult. Raised in a large working class family, Roxanne put herself through college, receiving an Associate's degree in Montessori education. She has been employed as a preschool teacher all of her adult life.

My sister's job, like that of most people in early childhood education, has very long hours (7am- 6pm most days) and is emotionally exhausting. She doesn't make anywhere near the pay a public school teacher makes, nor does she get treated with the same level of respect. Preschool teachers and child care providers, in my opinion, have the most difficult jobs and are compensated the least. How do I know? I've done their job, too.

According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children in 2007, the average salary of a preschool teacher was still under $20,000 annually. For my sister's long hours at work, she is paid enough to make a monthly car payment, a car insurance payment, buy her lunches and clothes, pay for personal necessities, and that is about it. She lives with my elderly parents because she cannot afford rent, so she is their caretaker at times, as well. Her employer, like most child care centers and preschools, does not provide health care insurance benefits. Most preschool teachers are married women and covered under their husband's insurance. My sister will probably never marry.

Roxanne cannot afford a dime for health care insurance, especially because she has a pre-existing condition, and the insurance costs are exorbitant (I hate the word "premiums" because it sounds so positive -- let's call them what they are -- stolen income). When my sister had a brush with death a few years back, she could not afford to pay her medical bills, nor the follow-up care she was advised to get. So, when my sister goes to a free clinic to get a prescription, she is completely dependent on a soft-hearted physician, or must grovel to one of the local charities to get it filled.

More often than not, she just goes without. "They need a union!" you say. Attempts at organizing the early childhood education industry have had zero success. Teachers usually go into the industry when their own children are infants, and stay until their kids are in elementary school. These women are often in the most exhausting period of their lives, juggling babies, a job, and very little sleep. Few teachers see it as a full-time, lifelong profession, so putting energy into professionalizing the industry is a low priority for most of these young mothers. Most teachers do not last long enough in early childhood to fight for the benefits they deserve.

My sister, and many early childhood educators, are among the 47 million Americans who cannot afford health care, or health care insurance. In a country like the United States that prides itself on being "modern", this is shameful. All around the world, industrialized nations give their most vulnerable citizens basic level health care as a civil right. For-profit health care systems are seen as dishonest, immoral and inhumane. Even Iran and North Korea, countries we love to hate here in the United States, have universal health care for all of their citizens.

People like my sister, who give every waking moment educating our nation's children and caring for others, are doing the most patriotic, noble service to their country, in my humble opinion. I ask my fellow Americans -- Republican, Democrat, Independent or other, to stand with me and say, "Enough is enough". No longer can we ignore this moral mandate. Health care is a right, not a privilege.

The myth of "the market" fixing all problems is a lie, and must die. The market has never given a "rat's behind" about the most vulnerable people in our society - the sick, children, the elderly, etc. The un-regulated market has created a situation where the richest one percent of Americans has ninety-five percent of the wealth. It has all but ruined our economy and destroyed this country, and it is time to say "THIS MUST STOP". We need to reign in corporate greed, and we need to do it NOW.

"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Multi-group Vigil / Concert / Rally with Sirota well attended!

Multi-group Vigil / Concert / Rally with Sirota well attended!
(Originally posted on Square State)

Wednesday's concert and vigil at Confluence park attracted more than 1000 political activists from all over Colorado. Guest speakers David Sirota, Dr. Irene Aguilar, Mayor John Hickenlooper, the Vice President of SEIU and numerous volunteers told health care horror stories, discussed the political challenges around the health insurance industry, and pumped up the crowd to take action.

A candlelight vigil honored the estimated 800 people who died in Colorado last year alone from inadequate access to health care. Latino band "Debajo del Aqua" provided upbeat music between the vigil and each speaker. Throughout the crowd, news of Senator Mark Udall's

SEIU prepared dozens of "story boards" -- large panels with photos and stories of real people in the Denver area with health care nightmares. Hundreds of blue "scrubs" shirts were signed with the names of people who have died, and a number of them were strung together around the perimeter of the stage area. Pro-health care reform signs including, "Single payer", "People of faith for health care reform" and "People not profits" were everywhere. This attendee did not see a single protester against health care insurance at this very large event.

The rally/vigil/concert was planned and sponsored by SEIU/Change that Works, with many other groups participating: MoveOn.org, Health Care for All Colorado, Organizing for America, etc. SEIU State Director Kjersten Forseth called the event "a huge success".

Thursdays Denver Post covered the second rally in a week to attract more than 1000 people demanding health insurance reform, on page 17A. The front page was reserved for a few crazy parents in Highlands Ranch who do not want their children going to school to be "influenced to be a liberal" by President of the United States, Barack Obama.

Udall Supports Public Option

Udall Supports Public Option
(Cross posted on Square State)

Fellow Arapahoe County Organizing for America Co-Chair Donovan ODell paid a visit to Mark Udall's office on Wednesday to drop off petitions and to share his views on health care insurance reform. He was told by the campaign that Mark Udall was in the process of drafting a press release to announce his support. The key words in the press release will be "a fiscally sustainable public option", he was told. It is anyone's guess exactly what that means.

The Shit Hit The Fan

(Cross posted on Square State, Wednesday, September 2nd.  I was forced to remove it and quit blogging on Square State due to lack of rule enforcement about personal attacks.)

The shit really hit the fan when I wrote a blog diary about Senator Michael Bennet calling me at home the other day. I knew most of my progressive friends were still celebrating Andrew Romanoff jumping into the race, so I had no idea how much I was stirring the pot to praise Michael Bennet on health care insurance reform.

I have three kids, and I am always telling my youngest,

"If you want to play with the big boys, you might get hurt, because they can play rough. I know it's a lot more fun. If you decide to play with 'em, don't come crying to me when you get knocked down."

So, I humbly take my own advice. You guys are the big boys in my world. You hang out at the state capitol (for fun), follow every piece of legislation, and can cite litigation history without having to look it up. You were following Barack Obama's political career when I was still oggling over the Clintons. (And some of you seem to be giving up on him long before I ever will.) I take my Aretha Franklin-style-Obama-inauguration hat off to you.

So why me, countless friends asked. "Why would Michael Bennet call you?". I had some friends suggest such crazy, contorted political strategy scenarios, I had to laugh.

Here's the truth.

I live out in the belly of the Republican beast, the south metro suburbs. Moving from Ann Arbor, MI to unincorporated Arapahoe County twenty years ago was like landing on the moon, politically speaking. My family and I have endured being represented by Bob Schaffer, Tom Tancredo, Mike Coffman, David Balmer, and a host of other conservatives so politically frightening, it would make your flesh crawl just reading the entire list. And yet, over the years, we Arapahoe County progressives have secretly found each other, met in-cognito over a a glass of wine now and then, and stuck together. When Obama was elected, we ripped off our nose glasses and came out of the closet. We celebrate our new-found liberty every Monday night at Bistro Al Vino.

And we canvass. We worked our proverbial tushies off turning Arapahoe blue, and if we rest for even a single day, we might lose everything we worked so hard for. (So did amazing folks in Douglas County and elsewhere, by the way, who so rarely get the credit they deserve because they have so much farther to come.)

Here's my second attempt at progressive blogger suicide: you guys in Denver and Boulder have it easy. You don't know what it is to have seven signs in a row taken off your lawn by big guys in trucks with gun racks and old W stickers on their windows, in broad daylight. You don't know what it is like to send your kid to school in an Obama shirt and have them come home scared at lunchtime because another kid threatened to beat them up for being a "baby-killing socialist". You don't know what it is like to have your car doors kicked in and the police not give-a-rip because you didn't see it happen, and you can't prove it had anything to do with your Democratic bumper stickers.

I digress.

My progressive friends and I out here on the front-line (bordering insanity) have been going to health care rallies, town halls, meetings, and other events every week for months. I challenge anyone besides Bennet campaign staffers, SEIU/Change That Works, OFA, and Health Care for All Colorado, to say they have been to more. (I hope I didn't leave any major groups out. If so, I apologize.) We had a Q&A event in my own home and called it a "People's Town Hall" because my Republican State Senator, Nancy Spence, doesn't have any (if she does, only Republicans are invited, and they are not listed on her website). Fifty people showed up. Not bad.

The guy that introduced Barack Obama in Grand Junction? One of our Arapahoe County guys -- Nathan Wilkes. The folks that have had countless meetings on health care reform since January -- Arapahope Community Team's Dr. Carol Blackard, Todd Mata, Donna Galassi, Donovan ODell and others. Know former CO Media Matters Editor Leslie Lyon? She lives out here, too, and breaks her butt every week helping us with health care reform events, when she should be looking for a new job. I am not saying all of the health care reform ninjas are from Arapahoe County, but a disproportionate number of them are. There is nothing like living under the rule of Tom Tancredo to make a progressive spittin'-mad.

If you don't believe me, check out my facebook photo albums. We're everywhere.

Every high-visibility event I we've been to in the last three months demanding health care reform (most of us were originally single-payer, but like many people here, reluctantly settled on the public option), the Bennet campaign staff has been there, too. They canvass for supporters for Bennet, we canvass for health care reform.

Michael Bennet himself has been to some of them, too. Young Dems/Arapahope Community Team in June? Bennet spoke on the need for health care reform. Denver Dems picnic? Bennet was there speaking on the moral obligation for health care reform. Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, north Denver, 47 counties around the state? Bennet spoke on the urgency of health care reform.

I have seen young Bennet intern dynamo Chris Rork more often than I see my own husband and kids. Need a pen? Ask Chris. Lost your water bottle? Ask Chris. Need to arrange a carpool? Ask Chris for help. Need a friend when a crazy tea-bagger screams in your face that Barack-Obama-has-an-all-lesbian-army-that-is going-to-make-your-daughter-have-an-abortion,or steal-your-identity-by-taking-your-photo, ask Chris.

Likewise, when word got out State Senator Shulthies's tea-baggers were planning to infiltrate David Canter's private home party for Senator Bennet, we called our Douglas County friends to provide back-up. Bennet's got our back, we've got his.

We also developed a tight relationship with SEIU/Change That Works. When trying to get activists in Denver and Boulder to care about Mike Coffman's Town Hall in Highlands Ranch, our buddies at SEIU, as well as Bennet's office, had our backs. They helped us get out some 800 reformers from all over the front range to show up to a meeting in a district where most Dems gave up 60 years ago.

There are lots of great people working on health care insurance reform all over the state - Patty Sullivan in Denver, Diana Caile in Boulder, Jody Visconti Clow in Grand Junction, etc. Too many to mention! There's a guy up in Ft. Collins -- can't remember his name, who sometimes stands alone on street corners with his health care reform signs. They know what I mean - Michael Bennet has been where they live too, talking up health care reform.

Bennet's folks helped us get out the people to the OFA bus tour rally just last week where National OFA Director Mitch Stewart came up to us and told us later, "Geez, Colorado rocks. You guys really know what you are doing here." John E. didn't make the photos for some reason, but he was there, too.

The Bennet folks and Arapahoe County health care reformers have been in the trenches together. We've bonded. We're tight. We've got each other's backs. We have since early June. When the Bennet campaign's high school and college volunteer interns went back to school and there were only two field folks until they trained more, and those two were so swamped they were working 24 hours a day, they still took all my calls. Chris Rork IM'd me at three in the morning one night, "How many volunteers do you have for tomorrow?" I IM'd him back, "Holy shit, Chris. Go to bed." (Yes, I was up and working on it, too.) There was never a minute Bennt's folks have not been there for us.

That means something.

I don't care how many blogs WN can write on in 24 ours (very impressive, by the way), saying Michael Bennet is not committed to health care insurance reform. Saying it over and over will never make it true. Michael Bennet and his staff have been there since day one, and he's said hundreds of times now he not only supports the public option, but it is a "moral imperative". What his "financially responsible" language means, I have no idea. I will leave that up to the political wonks who study this stuff all day long. I'm just Nancy-down-the-block with the clipboard and the hippy skirt.

So, Senator Michael Bennet probably asked himself not long ago, "Who is this lady that does not have a Bennet staff shirt that I see at every single event I go to on the front range, and hugs my staffers when she sees them (my guess)?" Then he called me to thank me, and to ask me to pass the word to my friends out here in Arapahoe County that we are on his health care reform radar. He appreciates us.

The fact that he called me when I was waffling over supporting one of Colorado's greatest progressives and our current Senator, was definitely a factor in my support. I have only met Andrew Romanoff in person once. I admire his courage, his brilliance, his progressive stand on just about everything, and I have followed his political career in awe. I have never seen him at a rally though, nor a picnic, nor a "people's town hall" in Centennial, or anywhere else. He's never come to any Living Liberally or Piney Creek Progressives event. Bennet's staff has -- many times. And yes, I have sent Andrew Romanoff facebook and email invitations more times than I can count.

That's about it. Not a sexy story. No exciting political secrets. No conspiracy theory. No complex political strategy. Just a so-called "Conservadem" who takes care of progressives in Arapahoe County, 'cause he notices us.

Now where the Hell is Mark Udall? Anyone check the Appalachian trail?

P.S. There's another big rally tonight, Wednesday, September 2nd, Confluence Park, 6:30pm. Hope you'll all be there!

Michael Bennet called me Monday, August 31st

Michael Bennet Called Me Today
(Cross posted on Square State)

Senator Michael Bennet called me personally about 4pm Monday. We talked for 20-25 minutes. He called me to thank me, and the volunteers I work with, for all of the hard work we are doing in Arapahoe County on health care insurance reform. He was very sweet about it. I was quite humbled by his call. He was traveling in rural Colorado, so we talked until his phone was about to cut out. I did not take notes while we talked. When the call was over, I wrote down what he said to the best of my recollection. If I got any of the details wrong, I apologize in advance. Here is the gist of it:

Michael Bennet:

"The campaign may be facing some challenges in the near future. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate your support, and hope we will continue to have it."

He asked if I had any questions. Since the phone call caught me off-guard, I came up with a few general ones. I told him people I talk to are still confused about his stand on the public option, although I have been at numerous events where he emphatically said he was for it.
"What do I tell my friends who were at Ed Schultz's event last night?"

He replied (verbatim), "There is no sunlight between where I stand on the public option, and where President Obama stands on it. I support his efforts 100%."

I asked about the "revenue neutral" thing Ed Schultz was talking about. He said this, "Some people want Medicare to be expanded for everyone. That would be great, but, how would we pay for it? I can't vote for something that sounds great but increases the debt we pass on to my daughters and their children." Then he said (paraphrasing),
"I am in lock-step with the President on this issue."

He continued to talk about the federal deficit under Bush going from x number of trillions of dolllars to y number of trillions (I don't remember the numbers he used, exactly.)

"Take the enormous price tag of the Iraq war, for example. That was irresponsible. We can't keep doing that. It is not ethical. It is not our money to spend. It will be our kids and their kids who have to pay it off. We have to think about what we are doing."

I said, "Barack Obama says up to two-thirds of the health care insurance reform plan will be paid for by streamlining wasteful systems, making processing claims more efficient, improving technology, etc."

He said, "Exactly."

Then I said, "President Obama said letting the Bush tax cuts for the very wealthy lapse will mean increased tax revenue, and that will more than cover the last third, if I remember correctly. Are you okay with letting the very wealthy pay a little more in taxes to cover the difference?"

His exact words were, "YES. Absolutely."

He went on, "The amount of revenue we lose if the Bush tax cuts continue amounts to 15 TIMES the cost of the stimulus package we just passed. Imagine what else that money could be used for." (He went on to quote a lot of numbers and facts that I cannot remember now, and did not write down.)

"So, bottom line, you're saying you support the public option as the President does, one hundred percent, right?" I asked.

He said, "Yes, it is a moral imperative. It will save us money in the long run. Rebuilding our economy is very dependent on getting health care reform passed now. Again, I stand very firmly with the President on this issue."

He asked if I had any more questions. I told him I didn't have anything specific prepared, but wondered where he will be on energy and the environment? He said: "Have you ever met my wife, Susan?"(I actually, have, only briefly, and did not know until later who she was in relation to him.)

"She spent many years working for an environmental group. She and I talk about energy and the environment almost every day. NOTHING will get by her. She won't let it (he laughed). I am very progressive on environmental issues. What else?"

"Next question, labor. Without having specific questions prepared, on a continuum of conservative to progressive, where can I count on you to be in regard to labor?"

He answered, "Let me be perfectly straight with you. I believe in the worker's right to organize. I believe in strong labor.... (pause)... I don't believe in knee-jerk decisions based on being obligated to ALWAYS vote only one way without discussion. I have to be sure both sides consider what is best not only for the people they represent, but for the FUTURE of that industry. I am concerned about how ALL of the people who are involved will be affected in the long run, as well."

"Take Detroit for example." (something I know a little about since I am from Detroit and was raised in a UAW family. Did he know that?)

"The auto industry includes the car manufacturers and the labor unions. They failed to work together to predict where their industry was headed, and as a result, the industry failed. We can't afford to do that. We need everyone at the bargainging tables and we need everyone working together, sharing their best ideas. Rebuilding our economy depends on it."
He also said he had to do the same thing with education, and that his decisions weren't always the easy ones.

"As long as both sides have the best interests of the students at heart, particularly the most vulnerable students -- the poorer kids, for example -- that is my priority. Does that make sense?"

He mentioned more about the "green energy economy" and how important it will be to our collective future.

At that point, he needed to go because his phone was starting to cut out. I had just enough time to tell him, "Thank-you so much."

Batman and Robin take on anti-health care reform activists

Batman and Robin take on anti-health care reform activists in Highlands Ranch.
(Cross posted on Square State)

It takes a lot of nerve to crash a private campaign house party, but that didn't stop dozens of anti-health care reform activists from Colorado Springs and other areas of the state, one of whom claimed to drive 75 miles, to the home of David and Joni Canter in Highlands Ranch on Saturday. A feisty group of anti-reformers arrived early, took the best seats, and chastised Senator Michael Bennet for not having more public town halls -- even though just in the last two weeks he's held town halls in Telluride, Ouray, Durango, Edwards, Frisco, and Pueblo, to name a few -- attempting to ambush him with questions about "Obama-care" and "illegals." Gracious almost to a fault, David and Joni Canter gave them permission to enter their home thirty minutes before the Senator's arrival.

Admittedly, like many Square State progressives, I was once a Bennet skeptic, incensed Governor Ritter appointed an apparent union-neutral moderate over favored former Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff. I first warmed to Bennet when I hoped he might be the right person to take on CU's own conservative corporatist Bruce Benson in the area of education, at some point in the future. Since then, I have attended numerous Bennet campaign events. Never have I seen Senator Bennet in stronger form than Saturday. The usually mild-mannered, soft-spoken diplomat showed his true grit, and I couldn't have been more impressed.

Senator Bennet thanked the hosts, welcomed everyone to the event, and politely addressed the uninvited guests first. He told them he was happy to answer any questions they had, "except crazy ones." When one of them said, "Crazy on both sides, right?" he replied, "Everyone here knows what I mean".

The freshman Senator from CO pushed up his sleeves and asked for tough questions from people who were skeptical about health care reform. He requested all attendees ask "sincere" questions, try to be non-partisan, and promised to do the same. During each question, he walked up as close to the person asking the question as he could, and looked them in the eye with an attentive and engaged posture. When anti-reformers interrupted each other by talking out of turn, he reminded them who had the floor and asked everyone in the room to be more respectful so he could respond to the question. Clearly, Michael Bennet's experience as Denver Public School's Superintendent paid off in his ability to "manage the classroom."

Several of the anti-reformers mentioned having read "the bill". Senator Bennet looked incredulous, and said cheerfully, yet without personal attack, something to the effect of, "Let's be honest here. No one's read every page of 'the bill' in its entirety. Anyone who said they did is lying. There are four bills under consideration, and one is not even entirely on paper yet". The questioner could not argue the point after having been "called out" on his little "fib".

One by one, Senator Bennet educated the room, correcting misinformation about health care insurance reform. He emphasized the reform efforts were an attempt to fix the economy, reduce debt we pass on to the next generation, and make the entire system more economical and efficient. He also pointed out the VA, Medicaid and Medicare are all government programs (since many audience members were of retirement age, it's a good bet they're already receiving that dreaded "government-run" health care!).

Standing between the doorway of the great room and the foyer where the spillover crowd strained to listen, I was more fortunate than most. As Senator Bennet took aim at misinformation, exposed inaccurate assumptions and presented facts in one room, 6th Congressional Candidate Lt. Col. (Ret.) John Flerlage was doing the same in the foyer. At one point, a friend whispered to me, "You need to go help John in the dining room. 'They' are piled on him three-to-one." As I approached, it was clear to me John Flerlage was doing just fine on his own. The former fighter pilot, like the former School Superintendent, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying each challenge and responding with assertiveness and authority.

To a political junkie, watching a statesman at his craft is as good as it gets. Watching two at once is having the best seat at the political Super Bowl.

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No Tears Shed For Newspaper Owners

No Tears Shed For Newspaper Owners
(Cross posted on Square State)

A friend of mine is one of thousands of unemployed journalists in Colorado. She has the wisdom of thirty years experience as a top-notch reporter and Editor, combined with up-to-date web-based blogging and new media technology. Still, she is having trouble finding a job.

Why?

America's standard for "truth" has diminished to the point its' newspapers have all but disappeared.

Thirty years ago, when my friend and other young students were studying in high schools and colleges across the country, journalism was a noble profession, attracting articulate people with a passion for truth, justice and the highest respect for a democratic, free press. Every evening during the dinner hour, Americans watched "the most trusted main in America", Walter Cronkite, tell us what was going on in the world with a sense of urgency and integrity. We never questioned his reports, knowing the journalistic code of ethics was at least as strong as the temptation to take money from sponsors.

There was another reason to trust media journalism thirty years ago. In 1979, the conservative movement's "Moral Majority", had barely begun its' assault on American journalism, with unsupported rants that all mainstream media had a "liberal bias". In 1979, few people took the radical conservative group seriously. Later, bumper stickers would surface all over America reassuring the masses, "The moral majority is niether".

Thirty years ago, the Fairness Doctrine, a policy of the Federal Communications Commission, dictated news programs were obligated to be presented in a fair and truthful manner. The rationale for the Doctrine is that airwaves, like air, are public domain. In 1987, under Ronald Reagan, the Doctrine was repealed and has never been re-instituted. Television news programs and newspapers were no longer obligated to tell the truth, to provide equal coverage of controversial issues, or back up assertions with facts. A relatively unknown, right-wing extremist named Rush Limbaugh was then freed to say anything he wanted, anytime he wanted.

In the smoldering ashes of journalistic integrity, Republican political strategist Roger Ailes gave birth to cable television's Fox News in 1996, arriving just in time to over-report Monica Lewinsky's sexual escapades and Bill Clinton's marital infidelity. The Columbine tragedy in April, 1999 was followed by a preponderance of theories that focused on infrequent church attendance and lack of respect for traditional "family values", rather than debates on access to machine guns by testosterone-driven, clinically depressed students. George Bush was elected (or rather, selected) as neo-conservatives were gaining ground. On September 11, 2001, America was attacked by foreigners, and Fox News found an even bigger niche in nationalistic, ethnocentric fervor.

Conservative media bias became big business. On every channel, in every newspaper, the media suddenly became full of waving flags(as if the flag is a partison symbol!), patriotic parades, stories about rap-music-censoring mothers, talk shows criticizing teen's scandalous clothing, and teens pledging their sexual purity in ring ceremonies. Fundamentalist church membership skyrocketed all over the country.

In 2004, popular Network news anchor Dan Rather of the CBS Evening News learned the hard way not to take on the neo-conservative-influenced corporate media. On September 08, 2004, CBS's "60 Minutes", reported:

"While Sen. Kerry has been targeted for what he did in Vietnam, President Bush has been criticized for avoiding Vietnam by landing a spot in the Texas Air National Guard - and then failing to meet some of his obligations."

For his bravery on this story, Dan Rather was investigated, chastised, humiliated, and accused of "failure to follow basic journalistic principles". "60 Minutes Wednesday" was cancelled, and after reassignment, Dan Rather resigned from CBS the following year.

Meanwhile, use of the internet exploded (thanks, Al Gore!). Sensing disingenuous criticism about the "liberal media", young America turned elsewhere for its' news. They wanted something more fresh, less judgmental and REAL. The weblog, shortened to "blog", was born. Suddenly, everyone could be a journalist, reporting from their own little corner of the Universe. The election of 2008 was due in part to people all over the globe comparing notes on-line, and realizing corporate-owned news did not reflect their reality at all. America was not suffering from moral decline after all; it was suffering from corporate take-over using the religious right's end-of-days fear-mongering as a convenient tool.

As any observer of the Fox-news created tea-bagging events can attest, the average age of their protesters appears to be 60-70 years of age. The habits of young America have been set, and blindly following corporate-owned media is not one of them.

As of July 4th, 105 newspapers have gone out of business in 2009, and more are added to the chopping block every week. Network evening news' ratings have plummeted, no matter how gorgeous they make Katy Couric look night after night. After Walter Cronkite passed away in July, 2009, Time magazine asked again, "Who is the most trusted journalist in America?" and the answer was... comedian Jon Stewart. Corporate-owned Time magazine immediately attributed the result to be a reflection of the American sense of humor (this blogger is not so sure).

When I hear my friend speak of trying to change careers during what should be the peak of her impressive profession as a journalist, my heart-strings tug for her and thousands of other journalists all over the country. Dan Rather made enough money to retire comfortably; my friend has not. I know she will put her talent and wisdom to good use in another field, but it will take some time, effort and money to retrain -- money that could be better used to send her kids to college. Was it her kids' fault corporate-owned media took the easy route, dumbed down their stories, and slanted their reporting to appease neo-conservatives who have no respect for science or reason? This liberal's heart may be bleeding, but it is not for the owners of the newspapers and network news' sponsors.

It's for all of us.

Rest in peace, Walter Cronkite. You will be missed.

1500 people Show Up to Make Mike Coffman Squirm

(XP on Square State)

I went to four rallies during the last couple of weeks for health care. For each of those rallies, I facebook messaged, emailed and called hundreds of my friends to death to get them to get others to attend. So did the amazing folks at SEIU/Change That Works, Health Care for All Colorado, and Organizing For America. Ed Perlmutter's in Brighton, the Nancy Pelosi event in Denver, the rally at the Capitol - all were exciting and in the neighborhood of 300-500 people, or so.

We were told not to bother with Mike Coffman's Town Hall since he was a Republican. Arapahoe County will get tons of Republican people to show up, and that kind of rally does not need extra media attention, we were told.

But we didn't listen to the "experts".

Instead, we took our memories of Mike Coffman purging thousands of our (mostly Democratic) votes last year, and we turned them into positive energy. We recycled our disgust thinking about how his office gave out incorrect information to voter registrars, then denied it later, and with it, we created passion. We took our anger at his "No" votes on everything President Barack Obama has tried to accomplish thus far, and we turned it into teamwork. We turned out half of the 1500 people in Littleton last night, armed with questions, facts, passion and certainty.

We knocked their socks off. We - the volunteers who turned Arapahoe County blue in 2008, Arapahope Community Team members like Todd Mata, Donna Galassi and Dr. Carol Blackard, and Arapahoe County Organizing for America folks like Donovan ODell, Betty Harris, and so many others.

This happened in Congressional District 6, the district many state "experts" refuse to believe will ever go Democratic -- the area the CO Democratic Party doesn't want to pour money into to help us out. "Land that Dems Forgot", if you will, despite the fact Arapahoe County went blue for the first time in more than half a century, and Douglas County was the fastest growing county in the US during most of the last decade (just ask all the NY and CA transplants how they plan to vote).

I remember in early January being told I was crazy to host a Drinking Liberally chapter in Centennial every week. "No one does it every week", they said. There aren't enough Democrats in Arapahoe County or all of the 6th Congressional District to meet every week. Well, tell that to the 20 people, on average, who attend the Drinking Liberally Centennial chapter at Bistro Al Vino every Monday night.

Want to see the impossible? Next November, Democrats are going to beat Mike Coffman in the November election. Lt. Col(ret) John Flerlage will be our Congressman. We are going to be known as the county that did the impossible. Don't believe me?

Watch.

There is nothing this Living Liberally Chapter leader loves to uncork more than another bottle of "Whoop-ass", and serving it up to Democratic friends in CO-06.

**************************************************

Keeping the peace at rallies.

Effective strategies for keeping the peace at rallies.

Whichever side of the political fence you are on, or maybe even on another plane altogether, you may be concerned as I am about the potential for violence at the Town Halls for Health Care Reform. I would like to ask for your help.
Many of us who have been involved in social justice movements before have learned some things about protests and rallies. We know how crowds can be whipped up into a frenzy, and we know how they are calmed. We can use our skills to assist in keeping the rallies peaceful. Can you help get the word out to other members of our faith who may have the opportunity to assist at these rallies, and ask them to help keep the peace?
Effective strategies for keeping the peace at rallies:
Encourage people to make only positive signs about their point of view.
Encourage sign-makers and speakers to speak from a place of their values versus their anger.
Let the security guards and police know you appreciate them, and offer your assistance if they need anything.
Encourage protesters on both sides to avoid confrontations with people who seem overly agitated.
Encourage people to SING rather than to chant. Bring a megaphone and help get the singing started. What to sing? We shall overcome, God Bless America, The National Anthem, Our Country Tis of Thee, This Land is Your Land, etc. When people sing, they are les likely to fight. We have witnessed success in many civil rights and social justice movements in the past, and we can use our wisdom to help. keep the peace.
Bring water and share it. Nothing can lead to hot tempers like a hot day. Offer it to people of both sides as a sign of brotherhood/sisterhood.
Carry a cell phone, and a camera or videocamera, just in case.
Thank-you to all of you who are working tirelessly to help bring peace and compromise to this heated issue. May something good come out of this important dialogue.

Our Lady of Drinking Liberally

(Cross posted on Square State)

I have always had a love/hate relationship with organized religion. I love the food, the holidays, the hugs, the community, the caring and the belonging. I despise the judgment, dogma, us-against-them, and hypocricy. I have to admit, though, those religious people sure know how to organize when their is a bee in their Fox news-watching bonnet.

My religious journey took me from a conservative Christian upbringing in the midwest with eight brothers and sisters, more than one hundred first cousins, and a loving Southern Baptist Grandma who would not allow us to play cards, roll dice, wear pants, play with the unsaved neighbors, or turn the window fan on high because "the Lord loves moderation". From there, after going to a Methodist church some, I found peace within a community of Jewish Humanists who did not care if I believed in God, and most definitely assured me, if there was a Hell, which none of them believed in, I wasn't going there for piercing my ears or doing other things normal young people do. So, I converted to Judaism.

Humanistic Jews often overlap with the Unitarian Universalist Churches, where I was reintroduced to Christianity through a liberals-only side door. As I studied world faiths and Biblical history to become an interfaith community Chaplain through an on-line program (I have married about 75 interfaith, atheist and GLBTQ couples to date), I started to see how fundamentalist Christianity really held its favor with at least 33% of the nation's citizens.
The secret to Fundamentalist Christian organizing during the Reagan and Bush years was potlucks. Yes, potlucks. Let this inter-spiritual Jew explain.

I learned from two of my much-loved, Sarah Palin-supporting,"tea-bagging" sisters that people will come to events, they will call their legislators, and they will write letters, if it is part of a community event that is FUN. As we say in Judaism as well, "If you feed them, they will come". Have a potluck, and give everyone a phone sheet. Have a Bible Study meeting with cake and prizes on a Tuesday morning, and give your guests letters to sign. Have a chocolate party on Saturday, then go canvassing. Have a church picnic, then go demonstrate outside Planned Parenthood. Have a pizza party with the youth, then introduce them to the local President of the Young Republicans.

What were Democrats doing during those years (before the grassroots Obama revolution)? We poured our long-suffering volunteers into hot library rooms and made them listen to intellectuals like John Kerry or Al Gore, complete with charts and graphs on Powerpoint, and references to the New York Times. Snore. (Or as I often felt, "Kill me now".)

What would Jesus do?

Jesus had suppers. Not well-planned, fundraising suppers in Aspen with organic farm-raised chickens on arugula with brie and the best merlot, either. In fact, he often didn't have enough food, and improvised. "How much bread and fish do we have? Well, we'll make it work somehow."

He broke bread with his friends all the time, then talked long into the night about social justice. Jesus was a long haired, homeless, Jewish hippy who preached conventional mystical Rabbinic wisdom peppered with common sense: "Throw out your rules and just LOVE each other. Feed the poor. Care for sick people. Love your neighbor. Love your enemies, even. Don't worry. Be happy". (Kind of like an early Bob Marley, if you will.) If you read the red-letters in a Christian Bible (the words Jesus actually said), he never bashed gays, condemned people for being sexually intimate within a committed relationship, warned people not to watch Harry Potter, or burned library books. He would be appalled at the richest nation in the world having 50 million people without health care. I'm quite sure of that.

Jesus was a pretty cool progressive Rabbi if you ask me.

In fact, Jesus was probably gay. In Biblical Judaism, many children were betrothed as early as 5 years old, and were often married at puberty. For Jesus to be wandering around with his BFFs without a wife, and in his thirties(!), he had to be either (a) very rebellious, or (b) trying to avoid someting. Was he married to Mary Magdeleine, as some scholars believe? Maybe. Could she have been a Queen Bee (that sounds so much kinder than the other phrase)? No one knows for sure.

All I know is, I sat at Living Liberal-ly Centennial yesterday (we changed our name to reflect that fact we are more a group of progressive friends than drinking buddies), surrounded at our extra-long table by people of many ages and genders and colors, and thought, "This is holy". We drank a glass of wine, we broke bread, and we talked about feeding the poor (economic recovery), caring for the sick (health care reform), loving our neighbors (goodwill ambassadors), and being able to forgive those who trespassed against us (Bush and Cheney).

Watch out - fundamentalists, liberals have discovered your secret.

Guest Contributor Dr. Carol Blackard: Letter to Polis and Markey

Response to Rep's Polis and Markey's letter of opposition to House Health Care Reform bill
Sunday, July 19 , 2009

Representative Jared Polis Representative Betsy Markey

Dear Representatives Polis and Markey:

This is a response to your letter of July 16, 2009 to Speaker Pelosi opposing the financing provision of the HR 3200, America's Affordable Choices Act.

Although your contention that persons with incomes over $500,000 may well experience tax rates of 45% as new health care taxes are introduced is technically correct,your claim that small business owners are singled out unfairly is untrue. Large corporate investors also face changes in the tax code in 2010 as the 15% qualified dividend tax expires and reverts back to the previous higher tax rate. It is also important to point out that S Corporation filings have been benefiting small business owners for decades by allowing them to avoid having earnings taxed first at the business level and then again at the personal income level. Large corporate dealings have never had this shelter and their earnings are taxed at both the business and then again at the personal level. After the Bush tax cuts sunset in 2010, it is expected that dividends will once again be subject toan individualincome tax rate as high as 39%. So,owners of a C corporation will end up paying a combined tax of approximately 60% (35% + (39% * .65 after tax dividend distribution) versus the maximum of45% tax for an S corporation. This doesn't seem so unfair to us.

We also question your assumption that small business owners would be unable to save enough capital to buy large equipment and other assets if such legislation is enacted. Businesses thatcan show a consistent profitability of $250-300K per year, should have no difficulty obtaining a line of credit from a bank to finance all or a portion of a large piece of equipment. Even without a line of credit, large equipment sellers can nearly always secure financing for strong businesses with healthy earnings histories. In fact, it is generally a poor business practice to always pay cash for large capital expenditures. As a successful businessman, you know that there is a benefit to having some leverage in one's business, so "saving up" for a purchase is not a common occurrence in the real world.

When you ask for the financing burden to be "collected from a larger base," we assume you mean that more people should be taxed. If you oppose taxes on those with high incomes, we must assume you favor a tax increase for the middle class. When difficult decisions about financing must be made, we expect you as representatives of your constituencies to remember that the middle class has been slammed for the past eight years in favor of all higher income groups, no matter what IRS form they use. Do we really need to remind you that during the Bush administration, the income groups over $250,000 were treated to huge tax cuts while the middle class suffered escalating health care costs and lack of basic human rights regarding their health? It is time for the higher income groups to contribute a bigger share to the communal good. Otherwise, the economy will not have the middle class underpinning that it requires. Even businesses must understand that it is in their own best interests. Please don't ask the middle class to pay again and again. We're broke.

One point you failed to address is what a great boon portable health care would be to small businesses. Once employees have a public option that can provide security and portability of health benefits, they will be free to move to small businesses, including innovative start-up businesses, and offer their expertise and newly-awakened creativity, instead of feeling trapped in jobs solely because of employer-based insurance. Small businesses will greatly benefit from these health care reforms.

Finally, representatives, we are disappointed in your apparent lack of empathy for and understanding of the desperate straits of the middle class. The health care reform bills before Congress at this time are a beacon of hope for those of us in the middle class. When we hear of our own democratic representatives trying to derail our hope, we are disillusioned and have to wonder what is going wrong in Washington, DC or in our electoral process. HR 3200 is a fine start at health care reform and should not be sabotaged by the very democrats that we should be able to count on to support it.

Sincerely, Carol Blackard, MD Todd Mata, JD, LL.M, CPA

PS - A response from Rep Polis on July 20 clarifies that he does not support taxing the middle class, nor does he seek to weaken the current House bill. He does strongly support it, but has applied substantial pressure on the Speaker and others to change the financing mechanism based on his special concern for small businesses filing tax returns where personal and business income are combined. He prefers taxing wealthy Medicare beneficiaries, or perhaps increasing capital gains taxation or adding to large corporation taxation, and wants the surcharge changed to start at $1,000,000 instead of $350,000. It's too bad Rep Polis could not have taken a more supportive stance for HR 3200 from the beginning. Voting against this solid attempt at health care reform in committee was a power play we cannot support, and sent a divisive message that in our opinion was unnecessary and, in fact, harmful to the effort to achieve health care reform which is already beset by opposition from conservatives on both sides of the aisle.

Dr. Blackard's addendum after a telephone conversation with Rep. Polis Monday night: Voting against HR3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act was an unfortunate expression to say the least. Small business persons making >$350,000 per year, having to pay an additional $500 or $1500 per year - are you kidding me, representatives? That's your reason to oppose this promising bill? I suggest to you that this is a time for solidarity and leadership to support these efforts, not sabotage and power plays.

*************************************************

The following letter was shared with me by Dr. Carol Blackard, a physician in Arapahoe County, who has studied health care reform options since working as a volunteer during the Obama campaign. She is an officer at Arapahope Community Team (ACT), a grassroots community action group, and has presented her analysis of the various health care reform options to numerous groups for the past 8 months. She wrote this letter after reading Rep. Jared Polis's letter written to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. After a long telephone conversation with Representative Jared Polis Monday night, Dr. Blackard added the addendum.

I am an American Progressive

(Cross posted on Square State)

I am an American Progressive.

I am a woman. I am a man. I am a child.

I believe in equality for all. I defend a woman's right to make decisions about her own body. I fight for a child's right to be protected, educated, nurtured and loved. I fight for a man's right to be home with his children after their birth, and to take time off work for his kids to raise them, if he wants to do that. I fight for each family to form itself based on love and commitment.

I am young, and I am old.

I fight for the young to be given a chance to make it in this world, not saddled by the debts of previous generations. I fight for the old to be respected, cherished, and cared for, until their very last breath on this Earth.

I am Christian. I am Muslim. I am Hindu, Jewish, Unitarian, Buddhist and Atheist. I have my own unique faith that is entirely personal. I am spiritual and I am inter-spiritual, and sometimes, I just don't know.

I am my brother’s keeper, and my sister’s too. And they are mine.

I believe in a Higher Power. I call the source of creation G-d, Hashem, or Allah, or by one of many other names. I believe in the power of people working together. I believe in Science, and the wondrous miracles of nature. I work to protect the rights of my neighbors who do not share my faith to worship as they wish, or not at all, as long as I am allowed to do the same. I believe there is more than one path to being the best person each of us can be. I am not threatened by the faith practices of others. I believe in the principles of the founding Fathers, as articulated by Thomas Jefferson. There shall always be a separation of church and state.

I am gay, I am straight, I am bisexual and I am transgender.

I fight for the rights of each American to be the person they are, expressing their beauty and individuality in a way that makes them happy. I believe each person has a right to choose the person they love, and to live with that person, sanctified by the religion of their choice, or not at all. I believe people who love each other have the right to define their family as they choose, and may include their beloved partners in their wills. I believe people in hospitals should be surrounded by their loved ones, whether those loved ones are legally "approved" or not.

My ancestry is Irish and Dutch, German, and Iranian, Australian, Canadian, Native American and Ethiopian. I am Mexican, African, Chinese and Filipino. I come from every country on the planet, and I bring with me my own beautiful language, culture and traditions.

My skin color is tan, mocha, beige, cocoa, butterscotch, almond, wheat, oatmeal, butter, and olive. My eyes are round, oval, and crescent. I AM BEAUTIFUL!

I honor my own family's traditions, and those of the people around me. I enjoy learning about other cultures, and celebrate them with joy, for our country's beauty is in her diversity. The flags of other countries do not bother me, for I know we are all one family, regardless of the location of our births.

I am International. I weep for my brothers and sisters in other lands who suffer, and I do what I can to help. I welcome the poor, the downtrodden, the huddled masses to my borders, knowing each person has something to offer, if only given a chance. I know I have more when I give more. I know we are richer when we work together. My country is stronger when she leads by example, and the respect of the world's nations is important to me.

I love the planet Earth, and I will do my best to take care of it. I love animals and believe they have a right to be here, just as I do. I am a steward of this land, and I have no right to destroy it. I will do everything I can to preserve it for future generations. We do not own this land, we are borrowing it from our children and grandchildren.

I love my country. I know that our history has included times of clarity and times of darkness. In the end, it is our ideals that are worth fighting for, not our land, nor the culture of just a few. We fight for equality for all, for tolerance, for acceptance, for civil rights and for diversity. We fight for peace. We fight with our words, our hearts, and our actions, doing everything we can before resorting to violence, and only when defending our highest values.

I know the path to peace includes education, diplomacy, and occasional compromise.

I am a Democrat and a Republican and an Independent. I believe in the Constitution of the United States and all of the rights it guarantees for every man, woman and child. I will work hard for Representatives who will stand up for all that is right about America, and who have the strength of character to resist the temptations of greed and power.

I believe in the future of my country, and know my vision is possible, but only if we work together, never allowing the skeptics and the nay-sayers to divide us. We are the UNITED States of America.

I AM an Americam Progressive.

WIll YOU BE A LIVING LIBERAL-LY CENTENNIAL CO-HOST?

king Liberal-ly Centennial Needs Co-Hosts!Share


Thursday, June 11, 2009 at 10:25pm
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As you may know, Drinking Liberal-ly Centennial has been meeting successfully every Monday evening at Bistro Al Vino from 7-9 pm since January 1st. Since we started, we have provided an opportunity for liberals in the southeast metro area to gather to share current events, talk politics, debate issues, celebrate victories, meet Colorado's finest candidates, and enjoy the fellowship of other liberals. Most weeks have had a theme, although whether we have one or not, our theme is friendship!



In six months and all of the people who have attended DL Centennial, NO ONE AS EVER HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK. We have maintained a family-friendly atmosphere, even the few times we closed the wine bar after many hours of political conversation. Overall, it has been a huge success!



Turn-out has ranged from 2 people (6/8) to 75 people (6/1), with an average of 6-10 people each week. Both of our two hostesses have been in attendance the vast majority of the weeks, with neither of them in attendance only once.



WIll YOU BE A LIVING LIBERAL-LY CENTENNIAL CO-HOST?

Meeting every week is tough on just 2 Hosts. With an additional co-host to help out each week, it would be easier to make sure one of our hosts is always there. Would you be willing to take one Monday per month, every month, to co-host the group? (You could take the 1st Mondays, 2nd Mondays, etc.) Or, you could choose a date and host it for any occasion/reason you wish (to honor a friend's Birthday, announce your candidacy, become engaged, celebrate a victory, etc.)
It is easy! Hosting does not cost you a penny, and you do not need to arrive before 7pm. Al, Brenda, and their staff at the restaurant take care of all our needs. Nancy and Sharon (LL Hosts) would STILL advertise the group meeting on facebook, twitter, email and on the National website. Your job would be to serve as contact person that week, hold the table starting at 7pm, and welcome guests. If you could also encourage your friends and colleagues to attend, that would be fantastic!
GROUPS AND CANDIDATES CAN ALSO CO-HOST DL CENTENNIAL!
INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS GROUPS AND CANDIDATES can help co-host a meeting of Living Liberal-ly Centennial. For example, if your group, the Aurora Aardvarks (I am making this name up) would like to co-host one Monday, you could invite all of your members. Your group would benefit from exposure to other liberals/progressives in the area. It helps US by ensuring we have enough hosts each Monday night in the event one of our regular hosts cannot attend. Everyone wins!
Note: Co-hosts, whether they are candidates or groups, are never ENDORSED by Living Liberal-ly. Any progressive/liberal group or individual can co-host by pre-arrangement with Nancy.
Please let us know if you are interested in becoming a Co-host for Living Liberal-ly Centennial, once a month, once a year, or only once.

Hope to see you at one of our meetings soon!

Bistro Al Vino, Corner of Orchard and Parker Roads

Mondays, 7-9 pm

Centennial, CO

Mike Coffman is An Affront to Democracy

Mike Coffman Is An Affront To Democracy
(Cross posted on Square State)

Mike Coffman is an embarrassment to the State of Colorado and an affront to democracy. All Coloradans should be joining the fight to get him out of office as soon as possible. Our great state cannot afford another Tom Tancredo ruining our reputation, and Coffman is following closely in his footsteps.

Thursday, Colorado Pols found these words attacking Governor Bill Ritter on Coffman's website,

"The Governor clearly has no concept about the training and readiness needs of our combat forces. By signing H.B. 1317, a bill that blocks the Army's ability to expand training areas, the Governor has sent a very clear message that the men and women who serve our nation in uniform are not welcome here... I think he would be more sympathetic if the U.S. Army were to declare itself a terrorist organization - since he is going out of his way to block the Army while at the same time laying out a welcome mat to house terrorists from Guantanamo Bay."

Coffman may not remember Governor Ritter was elected democratically, in a state that boasts hundreds of thousands of veterans. To say Bill Ritter does not welcome and support the military, or that he is a terrorist-sympathizer, is reprehensible. Governor Ritter may have explaining to do regarding his lack of support for unions, but the fact that he does not believe the Army has a right to take land from Colorado citizens without sufficient cause, does not make him a terrorist. Like Bush, Tancredo and Joe McCarthy before him, Coffman believes he can dismiss democratically-elected officials with a wave of his hate wand. "Don't agree with Mike Coffman on an issue? You're a terrorist! "

As Secretary of State, Mike Coffman's vote-tampering charges were dismissed after the 2008 election, but only because he agreed to undo the things he did unethically, to the satisfaction of the ethics panel http://www.squarestate.net/sho... The fact remains, Coffman was determined to purge as many Democrat's voter registrations as possible, and it took a federal judge's court order to stop him in his tracks. Hundreds of us who registered voters in the 2008 election know how confusing the registration form instructions were, and how completely unhelpful Coffman's staff members were in clarigying them. I for one, got conflicting interpretations of the form instructions each time I called. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is a vote-purger, in my humble opinion, ethics committee findings or not.

I am sick and tired of the State Democratic Party leaders in Colorado dismissing CO-6 as hopeless, thus not giving us money to fight the right-wing extremists who breed here (Tom Tancredo started his hate-mongering in CO-6). A large percentage of CO-6 voters live in Arapahoe County, a place that went blue for the first time in many decades. Douglas County, also in CO-6, made huge leaps in getting Democratic votes, thanks in part to being one of the most rapidly growing counties in the nation, and attracting new residents from both US coasts. For the first time in CO-6 history, we have two highly-qualified, motivated primary challengers, John Flerlage and David Canter, both of whom started immediately after the 2008 election, and are already kicking major Coffman-butt as I type this blog entry.

The time is ripe to get Mike Coffman out of office, and the time is now. We have two outstanding candidates in the 6th district, and frankly, either one of them would be a hundred times better than the right-wing extremist that's in the seat now. To Pat Waak and other CO Democratic party leaders, I have news for you -- with or without your money, we're going to do this. Do you want to be in front of the crowd, or trampled by it?

Who's with me? Let's get to work!

Find out more about the CO-6 candidates here:

http://www.FlerlageforCongress...

http://www.CanterforCongress.com

Attention Fox News: Hate Doesn't Prevent Swine Flu

Attn: Fox News. Hate Does Not Prevent Swine Flu
(Cross posted on Square State)

Hate won't prevent Swine flu.

When the Swine Flu outbreak happened, Fox news chose not to focus on facts, but on rumor and bigotry. Instead of having scientific professionals from the CDC or WHO give intelligent information about how to prevent getting this dangerous flu, or how to report or treat it, they immediately went to what they do best: bigotry. Swine flu is real, and it is dangerous. People need facts to save their lives, not propaganda.

Fox "news" stories focussed on the rumor that a small child from Mexico "brought it into the United States", despite the fact that there is evidence to the contrary. Yes, a little toddler from Mexico did die from this horrible disease, but blaming it on this child's family during their grief is unconscionable, especially when there are reports the Swine flu may have originated in New Zealand!

Fox News pundits used this baby's death to stir the immigration pot AGAIN, using such emotionally-charged and bigoted words as "illegals" (newsflash -- human beings are not "illegals". Illegal is an adjective, not a noun, folks! Stop dehumanizing immigrants from Mexico by calling them "illegals").

If that wasn't enough, they implied President Barack Obama had something to do with the appearance of, and spread of this flu! Countless Fox "news" reports alluded to the proximity of people who caught Swine Flu to the physical proximity of the President of the United States! Unbelievable!

It is said those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it. During the Black Plague, Jews were scapegoated, like Mexicans are now.

Fox News is anything but news. It is a racist, evil propaganda machine, deliberately causing hate and prejudice in our world, for the benefit of its soul-less corporate investors who benefit financially under Republican policies.

Want to prevent the very real, very deadly spread of Swine Flu? Wash your hands much more often, avoid crowds, eat right, get enough rest, and wash your produce after you bring it home from the store. Keep surfaces clean. If you get sick, stay home until you are 100% well.

But don't hate. According to the CDC and WHO, hate doesn't help.

When are people going to get it about substance abuse?

When are people going to get it about substance abuse?

An old friend of mine is sitting in a hospital bed right now on life support. His brain is dead, but his heart keeps beating, and his lungs have been replaced by a ventilator. His life is ending as his family feared -- a mix of alcohol and prescription drugs.

Don and I knew each other in school, and due to a marriage, he became a distant relative as well. When Don was a little kid, one close family member shot another family member and then himself, killing them both. Blood was everywhere, and it took Don's mother months to clean it up.

Don's Dad liked to drink, and instead of bringing Don to a Psychologist like parents today might, his Dad took him to church, and then, to a bar. Thirty years later, Don has continued to drink instead of dealing with his pain. Couch-surfing, job-hopping, a failed marriage, a lost son, dumpster-diving and sometimes homelessness. Thirty years of shame, sadness, ridicule, humiliation, and pain... intense, unfathomable, unimaginable, physical and emotional pain.
I picture Don lying in that hospital bed hundreds of miles away, and I am happy for him that his agony is about to be over. I am relieved for his family they no longer have to worry about him freezing to death on the sidewalk, and for his son, whose life with other parents can go on without complications.

And in my heart, I grieve for Don. I grieve not for the life he is leaving, but for the life he never had. I grieve for his youth, marred by a horrible accident, and further stolen by misguided decisions. I grieve for the child he remained forever -- the 16 year old who was still hiding inside him, drinking, grieving, avoiding, and hurting.

I called someone close to him this morning, and was quite surprised that her attitude was anger. "We always knew he would do this" she said. Granted, she deserved to be angry - 30 years of hoping, praying, pleading, nagging, crying, and still, no change. 30 years of excuses, borrowing money, being untrustworthy, and "tricked again". His family is tired, angry, and desperate for peace. They too have known their pain... lots of pain.

I called someone else I know who is very religious. She said people at her church come in like that, and they are saved by Jesus. They "snap out of it" when they realize what they were doing was wrong. Their type of recovery is instantaneous.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

I was fortunate to have known another person who started out on Don's path, but for whom the journey was cut short when he got help for it. Family counseling, personal counseling, professional substance abuse support and daily meetings did the trick. It was difficult, grueling, expensive and frustrating, but it worked. There was nothing instantaneous about it. Each day is both a challenge, and a gift. Lessons were learned by this person and his entire family -- lessons that will make them stronger in the future. Things are going very well for this person now.

I wonder how many of the people at the church I heard about actually "recover" under the guise of "there is something spiritually wrong" with them. If only they would "learn right from wrong" or "have a spiritual awakening" they could just walk away from their troubles, they are told. If only they wanted it badly enough.

I think of Don, and I think of all the filth and pain he has experienced and I am happy for him that it is over. Happy he no longer sleeps in a dumpster, happy he no longer feels like a failure, and happy no one else has to deal with his addiction.

The sadness I am left with is not for Don after all, it is for us. How many more Dons will suffer from substance abuse because as a culture, we do not help people, boys especially, deal with their emotional pain which can lead to substance abuse? I don't blame Don's well-meaning parents -- seeing a Psychologist 30 years ago was as likely as seeing a psychic is now -- not exactly mainstream.

In Don's memory, I write this blog entry. Instead of offering your condolences to me, please consider who in your life has experienced trauma, and please ask yourself, "Am I in the position to help, even a little, by really listening? How can I let them know I am thinking of them now? How can I make a difference?

Peace.

RIP Don 1960-2009

America's Veterans Deserve Better Than Mike Coffman

America's Veterans Deserve Better Than Mike Coffman
(Cross posted on Square State)

In 2008, Mike Coffman promised the sun and the stars and the moon to our Veterans, and according to the Colorado Veteran's Alliance, has disapppointed them greatly, receiving a "D" rating. http://www.coloradovets.org/files/CVA_Congressional_Report_Card.pdf According to Congressional Quarterly magazing, CD 6 had 60,000 Veterans in the year 2000. Between "The War On Terror" being fought in three countries during the past decade and Douglas County being the fastest growing county in the nation during some of those years, the 2010 census will show the number of veterans in CD 6 has grown dramatically.

OUR VETERANS DESERVE BETTER!

To win the general election, CD 6 needs a tough-as-nails Democratic candidate who strongly believes in social justice, yet can establish common ground with Independents and Republicans, as well. We need someone with a demonstrated appreciation for fiscal responsibility and a strong record on national security. CD 6 needs someone who can reach across party lines and get things done. Perhaps most importantly, CD 6 needs someone who can DELIVER ON THE EMPTY PROMISES MADE TO VETERANS BY REPUBLICAN INCUMENT MIKE COFFMAN.

Lt. Col (ret.) John Flerlage exemplifies the values of voters in CD 6. John has earned a reputation as a leader in the United States Marines, accomplished athlete, and respected citizen. He earned a degree in mathematics from Colby College and later served as treasurer of Colorado House District 28. He is tough on national security and has the experience to show it. Before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps, John proudly served his country as a fighter pilot, flying F/A-18 Hornets and A-4 Sky hawks. He trained young pilots at the Marine Aviation tactics school and in the 1990s flew support missions in Bosnia. John has been a pilot at Delta Airlines since 1991 and is now an international captain.

When he is not flying, John enjoys playing ice hockey, and coached the sport briefly at Columbine High School. John was a regular volunteer at his children's schools, and is involved in local Jefferson County politics. John has traveled the world extensively; seeing the way the rest of the world viewed our country during the Bush administration he realized, "Americans can do better."

John Flerlage believes America's Veteran's deserve better than Mike Coffman's empty promises! As a Leader of Marine's, John can easily step into a seat on the Armed Services Committee or anywhere else he is needed, and is ready to do so. John Flerlage can win Colorado's Congressional District 6 as a Democrat, proudly showing how America's Veterans should be treated, but he needs our help to do it.

Please honor a veteran you know by making a contribution of any size to send this extraordinary leader to Congress to represent us in CD 6.
http://www.actblue.com/page/we...

To learn more about Lt. Col.(ret.) John Flerlage: http://www.flerlageforcongress.com/