Why Are You Reading This Junk?

Changing Attitude Post-November 4th Election

2009-04-02T16:33:00.001-07:00

During the primaries and general election cycle of 2008, I was completely enthralled, obsessed, and otherwise with everything going on. I had Obama fever and was incredibly proud of the Democratic party platform. I tuned in daily to Huffington Post, Daily Kos, and all things lefty. I was shocked, dismayed, and outraged at everything the Republicans said and did and enjoyed railing against the Bush failures like my liberal counterparts.

Now that the elections have ended and Obama is President, my attitude has changed.

One thing that has remained is that I am far more informed than I used to be and keep up with the news consistently. What has changed is that I am no longer intensely political.

I don't want more Democrats in Congress or "better Democrats," a term used frequently at Daily Kos to describe Democrats with values and voting records that they deem progressive. I want Senators and House members who serve their constituents, get things done, debate and vote intelligently, and don't do too many stupid things for stupid reasons. I'm not limiting these wishes to Democrats; I want the same for Republicans.

I sympathize with the causes of the Daily Kos readership far more than I do with the RedStaters. However, both far-wings of their parties (left-wing and right-wing) share the same tendencies to shriek and be shrill when things are not going perfectly their way. Political candidates must pass their ideological purity tests or else all bets are off.

I don't begrudge political activism in general, including efforts by progressives to unseat Blue Dog Democrats. However, I hope they don't yell at the Republican Party for not being a "big tent" party when they don't always tolerate diversity of opinion in their own party very well either.

I donated to and campaigned for Obama during the general election because I believed he was an honest guy who genuinely wanted to serve the American people and take the country into a new direction that was solutions-oriented and driven towards peace and prosperity for our country. My gut said he was who he said he was and that he would do what he promised. So far, I haven't been proven wrong.

I won't always agree with him, but I'm glad that we have the smartest guy room flanked by all of the other smartest people in the room and subject matter experts in their respective fields helping us get out of this mess.

I believe that the electorate has proven to be more engaged and informed than ever before (or at least in a long time). There will always be those who scream that Obama is a socialist or that he's in the pockets of Wall Street. However, the larger middle, the more engaged and informed larger middle, will hopefully start electing better public officials for both parties. Rampant passive consumerism can't last forever when so many people are hurting and awakened to the realities of the present.

Instead of offering up bloggers who only post about hypocritical words and deeds of Republicans, I recommend my two favorite blogs that offer insightful, intelligent, and thoughtful political analysis:

Here's to using our heads and analyzing issues and candidates when we vote!

Thoughts on a Grassroots Movement with Broad Appeal

2009-03-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

I look forward to participating in the Organizing for America Pledge Project Canvass this weekend. I look forward to talking with my neighbors about energy, healthcare, and education in the U.S. I am enthusiastic about initiating a discussion with a swath of people who will potentially make up a cross-section of ages, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and political beliefs.

The coalition that Organizing for America is trying to build is currently in trial and error mode. Grassroots organizing to affect actual governance instead of just the outcome of a campaign is probably a new idea in this country (correct me if I'm wrong). The size of the momentum of this movement remains to be seen.

However, I'm betting that it will be successful over the long term. It appears to be a continuation of the Obama presidential campaign. One key reason for its success was because of its broad appeal. The coalition included young and old, rich and poor, many different races, and Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.

The universality of the message - let's get the government to work well and serve the American people so that we can be a more prosperous nation - will help to make it more successful than other political movements, or so I predict.

In the right wing of the Republican party, there are currently "Tea Party" and "We Surround Them" movements. It seems to be railing against the massive government spending that's being used to prop up the economy and alleviate the job-loss bleeding. The movement is comprised of people who steadfastly believe that the path that we are on will lead us to "socialism". The right wing is alive and well but seems to be a sliver of the overall U.S. population. Without an effective organization and leadership in place (aside from Rush Limbaugh, who is revolting to almost everyone outside of this circle), I don't see this movement gaining any steam over the long term or even controlling many news cycles in the short-term.

I consider myself to be generally liberal and have a record of voting for Democrats. However, many of my dear sweet comrades in the left wing love screaming and shouting as loudly as their right wing counterparts. They have become incredibly accustomed to railing against the system over the past eight years (some for the past 30 since the Reagan revolution began). Partisan bickering is their modus operandi, with many shouts of "screw the Republicans, we don't need them, let's just railroad them and do whatever the hell we want like Bush did to us!" Shouting "that's not change we can believe in!" at Obama cabinet appointees who are establishment-types, looking for people outside the system who could "come in and clean it up" regardless of whether or not they had the smarts and knowledge to be able to navigate that system that they would've been asked to clean up.

Nowadays, they call for Tim Geithner's head over the AIG bonuses. The idea of firing a Treasury Secretary, who I believe has an excellent economic mind, a strong grasp of the situation, and experience dealing with similar ones, in the middle of this crisis is a stupid reactionary call to arms. AIG bonuses are merely a fraction of a much larger problem that this guy is dealing with.

Back to the point about a universal message....a large number of people who stepped up during the Obama campaign and pushed him through the finish line are generally apolitical and apathetic. These folks woke up in large numbers, and we need them to help push this country in the right direction. We won't get everybody, but we need as many people as possible.

If a large enough portion of American citizens get involved in their government and are educated on the issues, then we will have a government that works. More people become involved and bring a diversity of opinion to the table, and ideas get scrutinized and ultimately strengthened by collaborative effort.

This is not just an appeal to Democrats or Republicans. This is an appeal to all Americans. This is why I'm excited to volunteer for Organizing for America. The movement behind Obama's candidacy moved me like no other politician has, and if that spirit can continue to change the country, then I'm in.

Granted, this operation is being housed in the Democratic Party. I hope that doesn't end up being much of a turnoff to Republicans and Independents. Either way, as long as field organizers continue to handle its operations instead of the usual top-down party structure, then I think we'll be able to keep its broad appeal going.

AIG is Merely an Example of a Bigger Problem

2009-03-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

The above video displays U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) grilling Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner about how the AIG situation is being handled and why the names of their counter-parties receiving bailout money are not being released to the public. To my understanding, technically several counter-parties are being propped up with the bailout money going to AIG to prevent a Lehman-like shock to the economic system should they go down like dominoes.

Geithner's responses show his grasp of the situation, ability to respond under pressure, and understanding that he has to work within a legal framework and with the set of tools available to him through the government. That last point that I made gives me confidence in Geithner and the Obama administration as a whole. The bubbling populist rage has rightly called for "off with their heads" concerning AIG executives, bankers, etc. I'm glad that my government isn't acting out of vengeance and doing anything reactionary that could further screw things up.

Geithner's introduction to the Treasury may have been marred with tax problems and a dud of a "save the economy plan" speech, but I trusted Obama's judgment then, and so far he hasn't let me down.

Vilifying AIG is a fun past-time, but let's not forget how many other "too big to fail" businesses were involved in Credit Default Swaps and taking unbelievable risks. Their activities were focused on fast money and short-term profit, and what they were doing was legal thanks to deregulation. Who cares about the long-term health of your company when the whole idea is to make big money NOW?

Rewarding failure is another fun thing to talk about, especially with today's CNN article: AIG's insistence on bonuses raises ire in Washington. Here's the quote of the year taken from the article from AIG Chairman and CEO Edward Liddy:

Liddy, however, makes clear in the letter that he took steps to limit his employees' compensation with trepidation. He said the company will have trouble attracting and retaining "the best and the brightest ... if employees believe that their compensation is subject to continued and arbitrary adjustment by the U.S. Treasury."

If your ultimate goal is to retain those that you call "the best and the brightest" who helped drive your company into a ditch and onto the receiving line of corporate welfare, then I want to know what you're smoking so that I can get some. The rationale of calling the reasonable action of not giving out huge bonuses when your company is on life support "an arbitrary adjustment by the U.S. Treasury" comes from an awfully deluded mind.

AIG is not alone. There are plenty of others like this in big business. Laws of the land are set to curb the worst traits in human nature, greed in this case. When the laws set during the Great Depression to prevent another one from happening are repealed, what the heck do you expect?

I hope this gets resolved sooner than later, after swallowing many more bitter pills, of course.

Building Support for Energy, Health Care, and Education

2009-03-12T17:11:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that Organizing for America is launching a Pledge Project Canvass scheduled to take place on March 21 across the United States. The purpose of this activity is to gather pledges of support for President Obama's budget based on three pillars: Energy, Health Care, and Education. Participants will either be going door to door or staging the canvass in a high-traffic area and approaching passersby.

From what I understand, the endgame of this canvass is to show our elected officials the level of support nationwide for the three pillars. Charting a new course towards clean energy, affordable health care, and improved education will be good for our country (and not to mention the economy; I love how Obama ties them all to the economy). It would behoove politicians in the Beltway bubble to take notice of this support if they know what's good for their political careers.

Call it a populist uprising without violence and strictly through positivity and neighbors talking to each other.

My fellow Obama campaign volunteers who canvassed and phonebanked during the election season who have been itching for a reason to do it again: let's hit the streets! Those who support the campaign for change but didn't volunteer during the election: now's a good time to give it a try. It's not as hard as it looks. We're only taking the first step in changing this country for the benefit and prosperity of its citizens!

The Possibility of Talking to our Enemies

2009-03-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

According to a CNN article, "President Obama says the United States could be open to reaching out to some moderates in the Taliban in a manner similar to successful efforts with Sunni militants in Iraq."

Wait, what?? We are actually thinking about talking to our enemies??? You mean to tell me that this problem cannot be solved by killing people alone????

Heck, this could be a new trend. Journalist Helena Cobban blogged about the British government engaging with Hezbollah. Apparently these groups aren't made up entirely of extremists who want to wipe out the infidels. Perhaps engaging those that can be turned and assimilating them into the political process as a way of isolating the more extreme elements of the group isn't such a bad idea after all.

This possibility of talking to certain members of the Taliban is merely a trial balloon at this point as the situation in Afghanistan is still being assessed. However, this means of diplomacy could be part of a smarter strategy. Solely killing people with military means drives up recruitment for those that would do harm to innocent people. There have to be other options to achieve the goal of transferring the responsibility of securing Afghanistan back to its people and the US getting the heck out of there already!

US Engagement in a Two-State Solution

2009-03-04T15:43:00.000-08:00

Text: Hillary Clinton Speech to Gaza Donors Conference (hat tip to Enduring America)

I can't say for sure how this is going to play out, but I am quite pleased with the Obama administration's commitment to "peace in the Middle East" and a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.

I admire the fact that the Palestinian plight, especially the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, is being spoken about in clear terms, and that the US government is sending money for aid. As much as I would like to hear someone from this country with significant political power condemn the Israeli government for launching a full-scale assault and killing trapped innocents like fish in a barrel, I know that is unrealistic considering the powerful Israel lobby in this country. Hillary Clinton calling Israeli settlements "unhelpful" is as strong as critical words will get at this juncture.

Plenty of change has been happening since the November election. I hope part of this change includes the reduction of being called anti-Semitic when criticizing the Israeli government. The "Israel is always right" creed that so many people share should turn to "Israel needs to be a good neighbor and act as responsible citizens of the international community, which will ultimately lead to peace and security for its citizens."

As a Jew and the son of an Israeli, I hope that America's re-engagement with the world, with all of the diplomatic tools in its arsenal, will result in crossing the finish line to an Israeli/Palestinian two-state solution. And a lasting one at that.

Call me an optimist and a dreamer, but what other choice do I have?

Taking on the special interests: the battle begins

2009-03-02T08:52:00.000-08:00

I read a fascinating analysis of President Obama's latest weekly address by one of my favorite bloggers, Al Giordano in his piece entitled "The New and Improved 'Us vs. Them' Narrative." Here's his take on Obama's budget and how it changes the "status quo in Washington":

Okay, here's what I think just happened: The President has reframed the narrative from the stale dysfunction of Democrats demonizing Republicans and Republicans demonizing Democrats and stepped over that puddle of slime to create a more authentic narrative: The American people vs. the special interests (and note that the ones he mentions are universally from the corporate sector).

Holy blast from the campaign past! One of Obama's most appealing campaign promises was reducing the influence of lobbyists and special interest groups in government. It appears that he is attempting to keep that promise through the budget (as a starting point, I'm sure).

This is the time where we need to have Obama's back and do battle against the forces that will fight this sweeping reform to the death. I'm sure this will be done through the same grassroots organizing that got him elected in the first place. Those of us who are engaged need to bring on board as many people as possible, including those who don't generally get involved or pay attention to politics. Much of this will most likely be organized through the Organizing for America framework, but many people will choose to organize on their own and bring much-needed ammunition as well.

You want "change we can believe in"? Well, now presents an excellent opportunity for that!

Moving on to the Important Issues Now....

2008-12-23T16:20:00.000-08:00

Now that President-Elect Obama's transition team has released the report of its internal communications audit, which confirms Prosecutor Fitzgerald's report that there was no inappropriate contact with Governor Blagojevich, we can move on to tackling the important issues.....

The absolute number one priority of the Obama administration seems to be the economy, and rightfully so. Vice President-Elect Biden met with top economic advisors today to discuss an economic recovery package. Biden seemed to echo what Obama had said previously at press conferences:

"Economists rarely agree, but on this score there’s overwhelming agreement that we need a robust and sustained economic recovery package,” he said at the meeting. "There’s virtually no disagreement on that point, with economists from left to right agreeing that the greater threat to our economy lies in doing too little.

I agree with the "go bold or go home" sentiment. This will not only have to stop the hemorrhaging of jobs in the short term but will also have to address the long-term sustainability of the U.S. economy. I have questions which will be answered as the Obama administration begins and progresses:

How many infrastructure projects are "shovel-ready" and how many people can be put back to work in the short-term?
How will we resurrect our manufacturing sector so that we can, you know, actually make stuff for domestic purchasing and exporting instead of living in this "information economy"? I can see shuttered factories being re-opened and used to manufacture solar panels, windmills, etc. in our new energy economy.
Wages seem to have flat-lined, and the disparity between CEO and worker salaries is incredible. How will these concerns be addressed? Unions aren't the answer to everything and certainly have their problems, but I think that the resurrection of the labor movement could play a crucial role in negotiating for better wages and rebuilding the middle class. I'm willing to show my liberal stripes and support the unions for the time being.
What kind of 21st century regulatory system will be put in place for the markets which apparently aren't self-governing and self-correcting like many people thought? Will we see a modern-day Glass-Steagall Act with a wide enough reach to apply to the interconnected, world-getting-smaller global economy?

More on this story as the new administration unfolds....

Gay Marriage: A Logical Next Step in Civil Rights

2008-12-20T03:36:00.000-08:00

With all the controversy surrounding President-Elect Obama's pick of Rick Warren to lead the invocation at his inauguration, the gay rights movement seems to have hit the forefront (for the moment, anyway). I can see the legalization of gay marriage in all 50 states becoming a reality in my lifetime. Thankfully, I'm only 28, so I have plenty of room for error.

After reading several thousand opinions on the subject, I was reminded by Al Giordano at The Field that "you don't get inclusion by calling for exclusion." The only way to change people's minds about gay marriage and gays and lesbians in general is to persuade them, not by browbeating or attempted coercion to see things your way. We can learn lessons from the Obama campaign, which used principles central to community organizing: respect, empower, include.

The "include" part is the most difficult since it means working with people who we may vehemently disagree with, especially when those involved in the gay rights movement are trying to change the minds of those who strongly believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. I can see an inclusive, grassroots campaign involving a diverse coalition acting in a positive manner changing the minds of many who strongly hold traditional views of marriage but aren't hateful people.

The new generations of evangelical Christians seems to be far less interested in demonizing gays (and many are actually accepting of them) and those who are pro-choice and more involved in doing things that are actually Christ-like. Rick Warren may be a strident social conservative, but he sure does give much money to the poorest among us and pushes the subjects of poverty, HIV/AIDS, and climate change to be a part of the Christian agenda. Organizations like the Matthew 25 Network go back to espousing Christ-like principles like feeding the poor, healing the sick, and being stewards of our planet.

The Jerry Falwell's of the U.S. are becoming irrelevant, and a new generation that is rejecting the bigotry of their elders is taking form. Thankfully, America is nothing more than a continuing social experiment, consistently evolving every once in a while.

My opinion: anything less than completely equal rights for gays and lesbians to marry in every single state under the law is ridiculous and unacceptable. I do realize that this is a fight that will take some time to be won, and hopefully the "respect, empower, include" generation will march ahead to victory.

New Word: Let's Call It What It Is

2008-12-17T17:06:00.000-08:00

Doesn't it make your heart sing to know that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has missed repeated warnings about the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme over the last decade? Kudos to the regulators for looking the other way!

There has been much talk about the deregulation precept of free market fundamentalism as one of the causes for the current economic mess (including, in the above case, lack of transparency). Though the term "deregulation" is certainly an appropriate one, I would like to call it a more direct term: lawlessness. Laws were stripped away to curb greed and excess and protect consumers.

I assume that you, the reader, are not a big fan of lawlessness in your neighborhood, your children's schools, the stores that you shop at, or anywhere else for that matter. We are a nation of laws and we must abide by them or suffer the consequences, because as humans, we are not innately self-governing or self-correcting. Why the heck are the markets any different (especially when there are so many humans involved)?

A New Era of Cooperation

2008-12-16T15:23:00.000-08:00

In the wake of last month's attacks in Mumbai, U.S. Senator John Kerry's trip to India and Pakistan to help broker cooperation between the two nations is what I hope U.S. foreign policy will look like from now on. It's an excellent start for his new position as Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Yesterday at a press conference, he said (and I paraphrase) that "the Mumbai attacks were a turning point" and "signaled a new era of cooperation." I hope the fruit born from this proclamation includes cooperation between governments and the strengthening of intelligence agencies and other law enforcement in the fight against terrorism. The United Nations could also have a significant role to play.

May we see continued restraint from India and no unilateral military action which will only serve to kill civilians and fan the flames of hatred.

Pakistani leaders seem to realize the urgency of cracking down on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the group accused of the Mumbai attacks. According to a recent Reuters article, Pakistan's biggest challenge will be with their own intelligence agency:

India has accused LeT, formed in 1990 by Pakistani intelligence to fuel a separatist insurgency in Indian Kashmir, of involvement in the November attacks in India's financial hub.

Speaking in India, Kerry said the Pakistan military's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency, which analysts in India say has ties with LeT, must be tightly controlled and not allowed to act independently.

I wish the Pakistani government luck in reigning in the ISI. Just another step to prevent war breaking out in an unstable, nuclear-armed region of the world.

Concentrating on the Real Issues

2008-12-14T14:11:00.000-08:00

One of these days, I hope President-Elect Obama can start off a weekly address with "Good morning, this week has brought us great news of prosperity for all Americans" or at least "good news of increasing prosperity amongst all Americans." Realistically, it will be "Good morning, this week has brought us the news of increasing layoffs/home foreclosures/credit markets freezing/dogs getting kicked/other bad things happening."

With all the turmoil that the U.S. economy is facing, I'm glad Obama is concentrating on the issues that matter to Americans and is detailing what he plans on doing to help. His nominee for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Shaun Donovan, seems like a fine one based on the information given about him.

Meanwhile, there are other folks who don't care to focus on the critical issues and make as much noise as possible about Blago-gate....

In an interview with Sen. John McCain by George Stephanopoulos on today's episode of ABC's This Week, Stephanopoulos brought up the fact that Republican National Committee Chair Mike Duncan has released a series of daily statements about the Gov. Rod Blagojevich situation and the involvement of Obama's team. The quote from one of the statements used on This Week was "Obama's promise of transparency to the American people is now being tested."

On one hand, that quote is absolutely true. On the other hand, Blago-gate is an excellent opportunity for certain members of the Republican party to create a scandal around Obama and yammer on just to hear their own voices. It's a nice continuation of the guilt-by-association game they played during the course of the campaign.

My vision of the future for the Republican party is that of a strong opposition party that keeps the Democrats in check when they overreach. No matter how good the Democratic party platform was over the course of the campaign, and no matter how much of a liberal I can be, unfettered monopolistic control of government by one party is not a good idea no matter who the party is.

I hope the Democrats can use their majority in Congress to pass progressive legislation that puts people back to work, transitions us to a new energy economy, reforms healthcare, etc. I hope the Republicans can come together around a platform that's based around helping the American people and not partisan politics and become the voice of reason when the Democrats make a boneheaded move.

Rod Blagojevich is a Complete Moron

2008-12-09T18:04:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite blogs, "This Week with Barack Obama," does an excellent job summarizing the Blagojevich debacle and emphasizing that Obama himself, according to prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, was not implicated in a single iota of wrongdoing.

I believe that Obama's honor and integrity would preclude him from collusion in a plot revolving around an appointee to replace him in the Senate. However, I would hope that most people with any semblance of brains in their head wouldn't be stupid enough to engage in corrupt acts with a guy who has absolutely no trace of discretion or judgment. Brazen arrogance? Massive chutzpah? I prefer to use the term "complete moron" to describe Blago the clown.

This was the same guy who stood with the workers at Republic Windows and Doors yesterday and demanded action from Bank of America to help the company meet its financial obligation to the workers. I knew he was under investigation for something or other, but I learned the full story today. Yikes.

The man is innocent until proven guilty, but the recordings obtained from all the wiretaps that were done don't make his innocence look terribly promising.

Solidarity with the Workers of Republic Unions and Doors

2008-12-08T16:56:00.000-08:00

The above video shows two of the voices who are fighting for justice and what's owed to the workers at Republic Windows and Doors.

I don't claim to know who shoulders the brunt of the blame and where to accurately point the finger. I'm not a huge fan of Bank of America for taking away Republic's credit line after receiving a government capital injection meant to keep credit flowing in the market. I certainly don't hold Republic in high regard for being likely in violation of the federal WARN Act.

I do know one thing: these workers deserve justice and every last penny of money that they are owed according to the terms of their union contracts.

This has huge potential to become the first shot fired in a series of actions designed to bring the plight of American workers to the forefront. An increasing number of them are getting the shaft while the bankers continue to loot the Treasury. The grassroots movement and mandate for change that resulted from Obama's campaign and election, in addition to his statement at a press conference affirming Republic's responsibility to its workers, has made the political climate ripe for this movement to happen.

If you wish to assist through a donation to the UE Local 1110 Solidarity Fund or by sending a supportive message to the workers, then you can do so via the UE website.

Obama Keeping His Promises - No Buyer's Remorse Here!

2008-12-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

The above interview on Meet the Press and press conference announcing General Eric Shinseki as Secretary of Veterans Affairs are two more indications of Barack Obama's intention of keeping his campaign promises (in my humble opinion).

Since his election, Obama has selected for cabinet nominees a bunch of extremely competent, accomplished, capable people who are experts in their fields and will bring strong opinions to the table. Each of us may have questions about or disagree with some of his cabinet picks. However, the overall message that he's sending to me is this: "I made big promises during the campaign, and I want to put people in my cabinet who can deliver on them."

He's talking about the same things he spoke about during the campaign, with a few minor adjustments here and there to accommodate the present situation (no more windfall profits tax on oil companies due to dropping oil prices). Same job creation plans, same new energy economy plans, same homeowner assistance plans, same plans for troop withdrawal in Iraq, same plans to change the way politics is done in Washington.

His Office of the President-Elect transition website is opening up the process to the public by making it transparent and interactive as well.

I may have beef with some of the decisions that he makes here and there, but man, am I happy about the work that I've done along with millions of fellow Americans to help get him elected. He is keeping his promises and taking the actions now that will make true change in the White House and for this country. I have no reason to doubt his intentions and sincerity while realizing that he will occasionally slip and fall during his presidency.

Thankfully, the grassroots movement for change that came out of his campaign will not simply vanish now that he's been elected. I'm attending a Change is Coming house meeting in my community a week from this Friday, and I assume that we'll be discussing where to go from here. There's plenty of grassroots organizing left to be done, because in order for Obama to be able to implement the change that he's promised, he'll need our help.

Achieving universal healthcare won't come without a fight from the insurance and drug lobbies. Getting away from burning fossil fuels and entering a new energy economy won't come without resistance from the oil lobby. Many special interests have the power and money to fight change that will affect their profit margins. We have to keep organizing to fight these special interests as well as rebuilding our communities and local economies.

While the spirit has always been there, I'm still new to this whole grassroots organizing thing. I've learned so much already from my participation in the Obama campaign, and I can't wait to continue my involvement as we work together to turn this country around. Thankfully, we have a friend in the White House, and we will help him get there!