Don’t just Boot Bush – Reboot

It’s pretty clear that the American people want to boot Bush & Co. out of the Whitehouse. Barack Obama’s message of change absolutely resonated in Iowa, stunning the country with an astounding win. Even on the Republican side, the insurgent who criticized the President’s “bunker mentality” beat the corporate Bush-apologist in Iowa. Change has been the recurring theme of this campaign so far. However, I think we need more than change. We need to not just boot out Bush: we need to reboot the system.

Let’s face it. If any of the Democrats are elected, change will come. There is little doubt that Barack Obama, John Edwards or Hillary Clinton would change some of the Bush policies. Let’s be honest here. If you read the position papers of all three Democrats, you will find that most of the differences in position are tinkering around the edges. The core messages are the same. Healthcare is broken and needs to be fixed. The environment is in crisis and must be healed. Education is weak and has to be supported.

We also need to restore America’s standing in the world. The pictures of Abu Ghraib still circulate on the internet as inspiration for would-be terrorists. The Bush Administration has held prisoners without trial, based on secret evidence, while Bush hides behind a veil of “state secrets” and executive privilege. It is shameful.

One difference between Barack Obama and his Democratic rivals is his ability to not just change the reputation of America in the world, but to reset it, to give us a fresh start, to reboot the political system. The election of Barack Obama as president does more than continue the conversation with different players and an altered message. It completely changes the context of the conversation.

There are times when a system doesn’t just need to close the old programs and open new ones. Until we completely reset the system, there are programs that can continue to run in the background unnoticed. We need to reboot with Obama.

Clinton Spits on Iowa on the Way out of Town

There were a couple of surprising (to me) quotes in the newspapers today. An article in The Wall Street Journal quoted Hillary Clinton’s press secretary, Jay Carlson as saying:

“Iowa is so small, it’s like a mayor’s race in a medium-sized city. It wouldn’t be wise to put too much emphasis on it.”

The same article quotes Clinton chief strategist Mark Penn:

“The worst thing would be to over count Iowa and its importance. Iowa doesn’t have a record of picking presidents.”

The Washington Post quoted Bill Clinton this way:

"Ladies and gentlemen, New Hampshire is going to be given the chance to prove that you are the first [pause for emphasis] primary."

After bragging-up the intelligence and dedication of Iowa voters for the last year, Hillary Clinton suddenly finds little to love about the Hawkeye state. Well, I have bad news for the Clintons. They’re in for more of the same from New Hampshire.

In Iowa Barack Obama attracted thousands of first-time caucus-goers, building a coalition of independents and moderate Republicans to win handily. Well, guess what 45 percent of New Hampshire's voters are? They are independents, not registered for the Democratic or Republican parties, and they can vote in Tuesday’s primary.

The Clintons are much-loved in New Hampshire, the state where Bill Clinton earned the nickname, “The Comeback Kid.” But I like to think that the Independents in New Hampshire are just that – independent thinkers who are ready for a change.

People of New Hampshire, be warned – If you don’t give the Clintons what they want, their vindictiveness will be turned on you next.

Meet the Heroes

Kim and Scott Schultz

If the definition of “hero” is someone who displays courage and the will for self-sacrifice for some greater good, then just yesterday I met two heroes: Kim and Scott Schultz of Cedar Rapids, IA. They have endured a withering barrage of advertisements, phone calls and emails from presidential candidates. Mitt Romney alone has run more than 8,000 ads in Iowa. Even after this tsunami of information, they are still, at this late hour turning up at events, trying to make sure they know everything they need to know in order to pick a President.

To educate themselves, they have taken heroic measures – spent hours searching web sites, reading position papers and of course coming out to see the candidates. They have seen Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and yesterday, as if they had not had enough, they turned out to hear Barack Obama in Cedar Rapids, IA.

This is Kim’s fifth time to see Barack Obama. Kim is a true Obama-believer. She has also canvassed door-to-door and made phone calls on behalf of Sen. Obama. She has registered at My.BarackObama.com and is part of the Coe College group. Kim is completing her teaching certification at Coe College.

You might think the reason Kim started supporting Obama is because of his stance on education. Though she says that is an important issue for her, she says “Actually, out of all the Democrats, he’s the one who is the most honest, the most believable…the one who is most ready to be president because of his background…being raised by his mom. He knows what the average person has to put up with.”

Kim has stayed a loyal Obama supporter despite quite a bit of pressure. “Elizabeth Edwards called me!” she exclaims, still in disbelief. “Not a recording – Elizabeth Edwards called. ‘Hi Kim, You have questions about global warming?’ And then I got a call on my cell phone from [Congressman] Bruce Braley. ‘Elizabeth Edwards told me…’” But Kim was not persuaded. “If there’s anyone who can bring unity…I think Barack Obama can bring unity…Every time I’ve heard him talk, I’m thinking John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, and Martin Luther King...”

Scott was not so quick to believe in Senator Obama. “I’m the last one to convert,” he confesses. And then he wavers. “Well, I’m still…” he steals a glance at Kim, and then pushes ahead. “Yeah, I think I’m Obama…no, I’m with Obama,” he finally pronounces. With 24 hours to the caucus, Scott still has mixed feelings. When asked about his second choice, he replies without hesitation, “It would be Edwards. We went to see Edwards when he was here at Coe College just before Christmas.” After a few minutes though, he remembers a less-than-favorable impression he had of John Edwards. “He was sort of…well, he was saying you couldn’t be nice and take on the corporations. He was like the Republicans, but the exact opposite. I was glad to hear Barack address that today.”

After a little more conversation, a secret comes out. There’s another hero in the family. “Really, this whole Obama thing started with our son.” Justin, a student at Kennedy High School is the invisible hand behind two converts to Barack Obama – the hero behind the heroes. Scott commented, “It was 10 months ago, Justin just said, ‘you guys are supporting Obama.’”

Justin has met Barack Obama. Before the meeting, Justin had done his homework, developing a deep understanding of Sen. Obama’s positions. When he finally got to meet Barack Obama, Justin took the opportunity to ask Barack Obama the one burning question left - He asked Barack Obama if he liked Jimmy Hendricks. “Yes!” was Obama’s enthusiastic reply. Obama had passed the test. Justin was definitely an Obama man. He went to work on his parents.

And so, here I find them, two heroic figures, Scott and Kim Schultz, taking time out of their schedule for one last check in before the caucus. Despite more than 10 months of constant information overload and a rich field of candidates, they had come out one more time to be sure. As they left they both seem to know whom they would support on caucus night – Barack Obama, a man they see as a hero.

Barack Obama Calls for Calm in Kenya

How would a President Obama handle an international crisis? One may hope to gain a glimpse as Senator Obama responds to the situation in Kenya. Hundreds of Kenyans have been killed after a disputed election, including approximately 50 who died when a church was burned with refuge-seekers inside. Much of the fighting has fallen along ethnic lines, reminiscent of the genocide which occurred in Rwanda, sparking fears of further violence.

Late Tuesday, Senator Barack Obama, whose father and grandparents are Kenyan, called Secretary of State Rice to see how he could assist. After speaking with Secretary Rice and Ambassador Mike Rannenberger in Kenya, Senator Obama recorded a message that is now being played by the Voice of America (VOA) on their Worldwide English system. You can here the audio here. You can read the full statement below.

- Statement by Senator Barack Obama -

"I have been deeply troubled by the recent news out of Kenya. The instability and tragic violence pose an urgent and dangerous threat to the people of Kenya, and to Kenyan democracy. My family’s thoughts and prayers go out to all who have suffered, and to the families of the victims.

"The Kenyan people have a proud history of supporting the growth of democracy in their country. Their thirst for democracy was on display in this most recent election, when they turned out to vote in record numbers, and in a peaceful and orderly way.

"Despite irregularities in the vote tabulation, now is not the time to throw that strong democracy away. Now is a time for President Kibaki, opposition leader Odinga, and all of Kenya’s leaders to call for calm, to come together, and to start a political process to address peacefully the controversies that divide them. Now is the time for this terrible violence to end.

"Kenya’s long democratic journey has at times been difficult. But at critical moments, Kenyans have chosen unity and progress over division and disaster. The way forward is not through violence – it is through democracy, and the rule of law. To all of Kenya’s people, I ask you to renew Kenya’s democratic tradition, and to seek your dreams in peace."

Failure by Filibuster

It’s the end of the year and a good time to take stock of what we’ve accomplished over the last year. What were you hoping the Democratically-controlled Senate would have accomplished in 2007?

• Addressing global warming and energy independence?
  
• Universal healthcare?
  
• Closing the income gap?

If you had your heart set on any of these priorities, you must feel mightily disappointed. You might wonder why Congress didn’t do more. Well, the answer can be found in a simple set of numbers - 49, 51, 60, 62, 110, 134, 1973, and 2008.

There are currently 49 Republicans and 51 Democrats in the Senate. It takes 60 votes to override a filibuster (technically, vote for cloture), which the Republicans used an unprecedented 62 times to block all business in the Senate. In fact the 110th Congress is on a record-setting trajectory to force a cloture vote 134 times, the most since the cloture option was implemented in 1973. Well, there’s a cure for that – vote your priorities in 2008.

The graph below, from an article published by the Campaign for America’s Future, puts the blame squarely where it belongs on the shoulders of the Republicans and their strategy of Block and Blame.




According to Block and Blame: The Conservative Strategy of Obstruction in the 110th Congress, “So far in just the first session of the 110th Congress, Republicans have required cloture votes against filibusters 62 times. The Republicans are on pace to force 134 cloture votes, more than double the recent historical average…”

Did you get that? The Republicans are using the power of the filibuster to choke the legislative process. Republicans promised to end gridlock and instead they delivered roadblocks. They promised bipartisan cooperation. Instead they gave us partisan obstructionism

Call it what you will – Roadblock Republicans, The Grand Obstruction Party, Failure by Filibuster – but in the end it’s the American people who pay the price for party politics.

We might have been let down by the Senate’s performance in 2007, but in 2008, it’s payback time. Vote for a president who represents your priorities and give him or her a Senate who will represent you, not party politics.

The Sound of Inevitability

If you believe the mainstream media, with the exception of Hillary Clinton, all the other candidates should just fold their tent and go home. This kind of rhetoric reminds me of a scene from the movie The Matrix. In the scene I’m thinking of, Agent Smith is holding our hero Neo in front of an oncoming train.

Agent Smith: "You hear that Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability... It is the sound of your death... Goodbye, Mr. Anderson..."

Neo: "My name... is Neo."

And with that Neo jumps away, leaving Agent Smith in front of the train. I’m just guessing here, but I’d say that it didn’t turn out like Agent Smith had expected it to.

Elections also have a funny way of not turning out the way that everyone thought they would. Just ask Howard Dean. In the Fall of 2003 he was on the front cover of Time Magazine…and Newsweek…and several other magazines.

A few short months later, he was only famous for two things – a rebel yell and the biggest implosion of a promising politician in several years.

The press seems to have decided that Hillary Clinton can’t be stopped. Her election to the presidency seems to be “inevitable.” That might fit someone’s desire for an easy to understand election process, but it doesn’t match the facts.

Yes, Hillary Clinton has raised a total of $78.6 million, slightly less than Barack Obama’s $78.9 million, but there is one very important distinction that no one is talking about. Did you know that $10 million of the $78.6 million that Hillary has raised came from Hillary Rodham Clinton, via Friends of Hillary? It seems that no one loves Hillary as much as Hillary loves Hillary. So, if you look at the facts, Hillary has not raised more than Barack. She has raised less money.

But really when it comes right down to it, does it matter who has raised $78.6 million and who has raised $78.9 million? Several candidates have raised plenty of money to remain viable including John Edwards, Mitt Romney (who has loaned his campaign $17.3 million), Rudi Giuliani, John McCain and Bill Richardson. If a candidate has a 16 lb. sledge hammer or a 12 lb. sledge hammer, who cares? They have a big enough tool (some would argue weapon) to compete in the primaries.

So, don’t believe it when you read that the election of Hillary Clinton is inevitable. It's not even true that the election of a Democrat to the White House is assured. When it comes to elections, nothing is predictable. No amount of money could make a candidate inevitable.

What does Barack Obama have to say?

Here is Barack Obama in his own words. First, he is talking about what it is that he’s trying to accomplish with this campaign. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iDfAVbOcpw



You can also see him talk about the importance of citizen involvement in the process. He explains the importance of staying involved in the process, overcoming cynicism and holding special interests at bay through your activities. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHg95YPlIiY



Enjoy the videos.

What exactly is a "conversation," anyway?

Barack Obama looked right at me and said, “I want to have a conversation.” This might have been a heart-stopping moment for any political junkie, but of course, he was also looking at 2,500 other people packed into the gymnasium at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, IA.

It's a nice sentiment to think that Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton will be in my living room for a "conversation" - a two-way give and take - asking real questions and getting short answers. But as far as I can see, that's just not going to happen.

The term “rock star” candidate has been used excessively to describe Senator Obama. That’s shorthand for someone who can pack a large venue and still appeal to the crowd. When it comes to the music of politics, there are accessible candidates like Tom Vilsack and John Edwards, and then there are "stadium bands," like Hillary and Obama.

Since people are being fast and loose with their comparisons of Senator Obama, comparing him to John F. Kennedy, let’s try another analogy, the Rolling Stones. Hey, if he’s a rock star, then this might not be a bad comparison. The Rolling Stones have rabid fans, the same as Senator Obama. They can pack a stadium anywhere in the world, anytime they wish. At this point, Senator Obama can do the same. The challenge for both the Rolling Stones and Senator Obama is, just because it works in the stadium, does not mean it will work in your living room.

The Rolling Stones have been able to bring their large stadium show to more intimate settings, for example playing the Aragon Ball Room in Chicago in 2002. More importantly, the Stones have infiltrated our most intimate moments by being the soundtrack to our lives. We hear certain songs and we connect.

Senator Obama is trying the same thing with his web site, which by the way is very well done. I can go onto Senator Obama’s web site and use social networking tools similar to Facebook and MySpace, but that does not really connect me with Senator Obama. It might connect me with other fans of Senator Obama, but not with Obama himself. With the bus loads of journalists, the satellite trucks and the rabid fans, it is hard to see how Senator Obama will be able to make it to anyone’s living room. So, here’s a suggestion.

The answer to the “rock star” challenge might be as old as Socrates. If candidates like Senator Clinton and Senator Obama are serious about a “conversation,” then let’s have more sincere and sustained question and answer time. I’m sure the people at Kennedy High School would have stayed late into the night asking questions and listening to the answers.

Steve Sovern did an admirable job of being the gracious host of the event in Cedar Rapids, and as such pitched the Senator some nice softballs. The five questions from the audience were well worded, showing a sophisticated level of political understanding. But Senator Obama's answers were so verbose there was little time for the pretense of a conversation.

If candidates are sincere about having a conversation, then let’s have a conversation. As the people on the campaign stops, let’s do our homework and ask great questions. Candidates, answer the question and then shut up. That gives us time for more questions. Here in the heartland, that’s what a real conversation looks like.

How the Cookie Crumbles

As anyone who has read my postings know, I like to write about all kinds of issues, but every now and then someone says is so well that I can't improve on what they said. In the category of "I couldn't have said it better myself," click here to see an excellent explanation of how the federal budget works using Oreo Cookies as an example.

You Don’t Have to Feel Like the Lone Ranger!

Just in case you think you're the only one who feels the way you do, take a look at this slideshow from Moveon.org.

If you like what you see, there are three actions you can take, starting right now!

Action 1: Pass this URL, http://RFDBlog.com on to all of the progressives you know. The more people who join the conversation, the better.

Action 2: Join with a local chapter of Operation Democracy. You can see more information about Operation Democracy here. I am a member of the local chapter in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.

Action 3: You can participate in the photo petition you see at the URL at the top of this posting. You can find all the instructions you need here.

Like I said: feel free to pass this blog posting on to all of the progressive thinkers you know. We need to keep the momentum we gained from the recent elections to make a real difference in the world.