Saturday, February 27, 2010

Aid for the World - How you can be the change you wish to see...

Click here to visit the FaceBook page for this event.

Carl Keyes,

Director of Aid for the World,

Visits Harrisonburg

Sustained Volunteerism in a Global Society:

Everyone Can Make a Difference

Date:	Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Time:	7:30pm - 9:30pm
Location:	Court Square Theater
Street:	61 Graham Street
City/Town:	Harrisonburg, VA
	View Map

Carl Keyes, the managing director of Aid for the World (http://aidfortheworld.org), will be visiting Harrisonburg on March 3, 2010.

You are invited to his presentation to the community where he will share the work of his non-profit organization. His presentation will include his journey in developing sustained volunteerism programs across the globe.
In particular, Mr. Keyes will focus on the work being done to combat injustice, poverty, and overwhelming deprivation due to economic distress. Carl will explain how we as individuals, organizations, church groups and the like can join in the efforts necessary to change the world and the conditions of all citizens of our global society.
Aid for the World is a private international humanitarian aid organization dedicated to establishing meaningful local and international partnerships to address critical human needs in unique new ways. Aid for the World is committed to helping individuals and families in impoverished communities improve their lives by addressing immediate needs as well as developing sustainable local economies.

This presentation will focus on the limitations of short-term aid and support in producing long-term change through sustained aid, support, and development. Through sustainable economic programs, community development, technological initiatives, and educational outreach, Aid for the World (AID) seeks to create an environment for long-term growth and prosperity.

When: Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Admission: Free
Where: Court Square Theater, 61 Graham Street, Harrisonburg, VA
What: Mr. Carl Keyes, Founder and Managing Director, Aid for the World
Sponsors: Relief Efforts, College of Education, JMU, Rockingham County Democratic Committee, Seven Generations, JMU Young Democrats

For more information, contact Mary Slade, Rachel Fulk, or Lowell Fulk.

If you would like to help host this or similar events, please let us know!

Many hands make light work!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Bob Marshall - Resign Now!

Sign the Bob Marshall - Resign Now petition. Then take one more step and contact him directly and let him know his comments were disgusting and, instead of blaming the media, he should apologize and resign from office. Bob Marshall is a embarrassment to not only his district, but the entire state. More details and contact information is here.

Public Space, Public Dollars and Better Practices

I was recently enlightened that Harrisonburg's Farmers Market, while a tremendous asset to the city, and even neighboring counties, for what it provides in business outlets and local products of all sorts, not only has a waiting list of vendors wanting to participate in the market atmosphere, but is also not accomodating those businesses by letting them participate in the open space that is clearly available on the outskirts of the pavilion space.

There seems to be lots of open area not being utilized that could be for these participants. What is the factor(s) that allow some to participate, but not everyone in this publicly funded, publicly available space?

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

What Should We Cut From Education?

For anyone who is interested:

Public Forums will be held to discus the potential cuts to Rockingham County Public Education at the following dates, times and locations:

Monday, March 1st, at Elkton Middle School, 7:00pm

Tuesday, March 2nd, at Hillyard Middle School, 7:00pm

Wednesday, March 3rd, at Montevideo Middle School, 7:00pm

Thursday, March 4th, at Wilber Pence Middle School, 7:00pm

Please attend with questions to ask...
Do not leave without asking your questions...

At stake are possibly ten million dollars worth of programs and positions in Rockingham County Public Education. What is important to you?...

Dr. Fenn has no choice but to cut spending, the budget must be balanced. Your involvement is vital...

This is truly an opportunity for community involvement, and citizen involvement, in our government.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

More Spineless Obama caving in to Big Insurance

Despite overwhelming support of a public option nationwide, and growing support in the Senate, the Obama administration claims that there is little support for the option. Apparently Obama and his press secretary Gibbs have graduated from the Rove/Cheney school of Pro-Corporate Propaganda. I'm not sure what is worse, a President with no spine (Obama) or a President with no brain (Bush).

It's about Friggin' time!!

House Dems want to phase out armed contractors.

Enough is enough. Everything about outsourcing the military is wrong...here are just a few reasons why...fraud and abuse...expense....more taxpayer abuse this time with a prostitute! This doesn't even touch the negative effect on troop (real troops) morale...

More Palin Hypocrisy.......

Remember her hatred for "socialized" medicine? Remember her vision of (gasp!) DEATH PANELS? Well apparently Good Old Girl Sarah has no problem putting her own flesh and blood, her own grandchild, in the hands of the evil, socialist, baby killing medical system. As legal documents show, Sarah has Tripp enrolled in the Indian Health Services AND the Alaska Native Medical Center.
.....I'm sure that this made FoxNews...didn't it?

Monday, February 22, 2010

The GOP's Finest!!

Right wing terrorism is motivated by opposition to federal taxation and regulation, the United Nations, other international organizations, and the U.S. government itself, as well as by a hatred of racial and religious minorities. This type of terrorism, which has roots in the activities of white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and antigovernment groups, flourished in the 1980s. FBI officials say right-wing militants—including skinheads, neo-Nazis, militia members, and the so-called Christian Patriot movement—now pose America’s most serious domestic terrorist threat.

more...

Virginians Favor The Public Option

You probably don't know this if you get your news from Fox News.

Would you favor or oppose the national government offering everyone the choice of buying into a government administered health insurance plan -- something like the Medicare coverage that people 65 and older get -- that would compete with private health insurance plans?

VIRGINIA (Webb, Warner)
YES NO Unsure
61% 32% 7% ALL
62% 30% 8%INDEPENDENTS
78% 15% 7% OBAMA VOTERS

Source

sometimes cartoons speak volumes!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Aid for the World - How you can be the change you wish to see...

Click here to visit the FaceBook page for this event.

Carl Keyes,

Director of Aid for the World,

Visits Harrisonburg

Sustained Volunteerism in a Global Society:

Everyone Can Make a Difference

Date:	Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Time:	7:30pm - 9:30pm
Location:	Court Square Theater
Street:	61 Graham Street
City/Town:	Harrisonburg, VA
	View Map

Carl Keyes, the managing director of Aid for the World (http://aidfortheworld.org), will be visiting Harrisonburg on March 3, 2010.

Road to Recovery - Visual Data YouTube

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Skewing the Numbers, Delegate Matt Lohr Style

Delegate Matt Lohr recently sent the following to the people on his campaign email list.

I wonder what results these questions would generate if asked of the public at large instead of just his supporters?

Dear Friends,

I would like to thank those who took the time to participate in my annual legislative survey. We had a great response from folks all across the 26th district. Often times voters don't believe that their voice really matters and that legislators simply vote their own opinions. Not so. I really rely heavily on what my constituents are saying and value your input greatly. Often times you, the voters, enrich the debate by providing every day experiences and I thank you for that. It really helps to have your input on these important issues and I appreciate you taking the time to participate. Below are the results from the 2010 survey. Again, thanks for taking part and please let me know if I can ever be of service.

1. Do you support additional ways to establish new public charter schools in Virginia?

Yes: 67.1% No: 32.9%

2. Should state government mandate a certain percentage of local public education funding be used for classroom instruction compared to non-instructional services ?

Yes: 57.5% No: 42.5%

3. Do you support awarding Virginia's many good teachers with "merit" or "bonus" pay when the students they teach consistently score above the state average on standardized tests rather or award pay based on how long a teacher has taught?

Yes: 76.3% No: 23.8%

4. Do you support giving local elementary and secondary school divisions greater flexibility in determining student-to-teacher ratios in the classroom so long as they maintain quality instructional standards?

Yes: 88.2% No: 11.8%

5. Do you support the $700 Billion economic bailout package passed by Congress?

Yes: 11.4% No: 88.6%

6. Do you support allowing non-violent felons to be released 90 days earlier than their original sentence if they have documented good behavior?

Yes: 59.6% No: 40.4%

7. Do you support efforts in the federal government to provide government paid health care to every uninsured Virginian?

Yes: 13.6% No: 86.4%

8. Do you support requiring abortion clinics to comply with the same health and safety standards as other health care facilities?

Yes: 96.6% No: 3.4%

9. Medicaid is quickly closing in on education as the largest expenditure in the state budget and government spending on this program for the needy is expected to continue rising. To address this serious, long-term challenge, some states are reforming Medicaid by providing funding to recipients through Health Savings Accounts. Individuals with HSAs pay for routine medical expenses from their account, while their government-provided insurance policy pays for catastrophic medical costs. Since recipients retain the funds in their HSA not spent on medical bills, they have an incentive to seek out competitively-priced routine health care. Would you support creating HSAs for Medicaid recipients in Virginia?

Yes: 75.6% No: 24.4%

10. Do you support the privitazation of Virginia's system of Alcoholic Beverage Control and dedicating the proceeds to transportation?

Yes: 78.3% No: 21.7%

11. Should Virginia's Right-to-Work law be made a part of the State Constitution?

Yes: 58.8% No: 41.2%

12. Do you support the exploration of natural gas off the coastal water areas of Virginia?

Yes: 89.8% No: 10.2%

13. The federal government is debating legislation to cap the amount of carbon emissions produced by businesses and allowing them to buy offsets in order to exceed that cap. Do you support this proposal?

Yes: 23.5% No: 76.5%

14. Virginia has protected over 400,000 acres of open space during the last decade. Do you support efforts by the state to protect another 400,000 acres over the next four years?

Yes: 66.3% No: 33.7%

15. Do you support state taxpayer funding going to Planned Parenthood?

Yes: 28.7% No: 71.3%

Thank you for taking my survey!

Sincerely,

Matt Lohr

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Warner, Webb Announce $5M for Valley Green Jobs Program

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Jim Webb today announced that the Shenandoah Valley Workforce Investment Board (SVWIB) has received a $5 million investment from the economic stimulus package to fund a new program to train workers for jobs in the region’s emerging “green” technology manufacturing and renewable energy industries. The funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Labor, will provide workforce training opportunities for an estimated 1,000 Virginians across 10 counties and six cities in the Shenandoah Valley.

“The formation of the Shenandoah Valley Energy Partnership is exactly the kind of forward-looking collaboration we need to help jump-start our economy and create next-generation jobs in the clean energy field,” said Senator Warner. “This investment in training workers for new green energy represents an exciting opportunity for the entire Valley region.”

“One of the largest barriers to economic growth in many communities is the shortage of a skilled workforce, and I am pleased the Shenandoah Valley will benefit from this investment,” said Senator Webb. “Proper job training and workforce development will create jobs and enable Virginia to take advantage of the growing technology and renewable energy economies.”

“This is wonderful news for the Shenandoah Valley where we are currently enduring our highest unemployment rates in decades,” said Bob Satterwhite, director of the SVWIB. “Training made possible by this grant will prepare our area's workers for jobs in energy efficiency and renewable energy industries, including occupations that have long-term demand and offer the potential for high wage, career pathway jobs. We anticipate working with approximately 450 employers, as well as community members and schools in this effort, and believe the whole Valley region will benefit substantially.”

The program’s partners will include SVWIB’s five one-stop training centers and the region’s three vocational technical centers, Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, Lord Fairfax Community College, Blue Ridge Community College, James Madison University and the Virginia Manufacturer’s Association, among others.

The grant was one of 55 awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor today for projects that will enhance job training programs and employment services in health care and other high-growth and emerging industries across the United States.

source: press release Sen. Mark Warner

Road to Recovery

from OFA

Cutting the Budget - McDonnell Style

Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) has privately recommended cutting $730 million from K-12 education and $300 million from health programs, as well as changing the state retirement system and requiring 10 days of furloughs for state employees, all to help offset a $2.2 billion budget shortfall over two years, according to sources familiar with the plan.

The K-12 reductions would loosen the state's basic educational standards while reducing funds for support staff, supplemental salaries for coaches and teachers who serve as club sponsors, and health insurance for teachers.

The health cuts would reduce mental-health treatment beds by 232, take 5 percent in funds from community service boards that offer substance abuse and mental health treatment programs, and freeze enrollment for a program that provides insurance to low-income children.

The governor is also recommending millions of dollars in trims to public libraries, shuttering some state parks and phasing out all public broadcasting support over four years.

McDonnell has refused for weeks to release his proposals publicly, despite repeated requests from lawmakers and advocates. Instead, he and his staff members have been sharing recommendations with small groups of legislators for weeks behind closed doors -- a departure from the way governors have conveyed their budget priorities in Virginia for decades.

McDonnell Thankful for Evil Stimulus Money

Bob McDonnell last year: "The Stimulus is not going to be good long-term for America."..."the stimulus created more problems than it solved."

Bob McDonnell last week: "

The ($24 million) federal (Stimulus) funding awarded to Virginia will allow us to develop an information technology system that will safeguard our ability to track health records and provide our physicians with the technological tools they need to provide the highest quality service possible."

Bob McDonnell this week: Hypocrite.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

What has Happened to Toyota?!!!

Toyota Motor Corp, the world's most dominant and profitable automaker, was not accustomed to outsiders telling it what to do, let alone some obscure bureaucrat from the United States, whose own car industry was on taxpayer-funded life support.

But in the middle of December, on a cloudy day in the middle of the Japanese archipelago's main island, Ron Medford, the acting head of the U.S. agency that regulates auto safety, was reading Toyota executives the riot act.

Medford had been quietly dispatched by the Obama administration to deliver a firm message: Toyota, he told them, had better get its act together, according to U.S. regulators.

By the time Medford arrived in Japan, Toyota was working through a recall that would involve over 5 million vehicles in the United States. The problem was mundane but potentially lethal: floor mats were trapping the accelerator pedal.

U.S. safety regulators had tied five deaths to accidents where that seemed to be the cause, and there were growing doubts about whether the Toyota floormat and pedal design -- a relatively cheap fix -- was the only flaw that needed to be addressed.

Over the prior seven years, the number of U.S. consumer complaints about unintended acceleration in Toyota cars had been steadily climbing, hitting 400 reported cases for the 2007 model year, according to an analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data.

But five previous investigations into Toyota opened by NHTSA under the Bush administration had hit a dead end, with no action taken. Two safety probes resulted in relatively cheap floormat recalls by Toyota in 2007 and early 2009. Neither attracted much notice.

Read the story

Zogby says President on Upswing in Approval

What does Zogby see as Obama's biggest challenges? Extreme elements, both liberal and tea party...

"The president continues on an upswing. He's getting higher marks from all voters, including independents. Our recent poll found a majority agreeing that he is sincere about wanting to work with both parties and find solutions." Source

Saturday, February 13, 2010

America - How We Got To This Point - A Piece of the Puzzle...

How we got here, one piece of the puzzle:

"WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a major victory for the White House, the Senate early Friday voted 77-23 to authorize President Bush to attack Iraq if Saddam Hussein refuses to give up weapons of mass destruction as required by U.N. resolutions. Hours earlier, the House approved an identical resolution, 296-133."

"The Senate vote sharply divided Democrats, with 29 voting for the measure and 21 against. All Republicans except Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island voted for passage."

"In the House, six Republicans -- Ron Paul of Texas; Connie Morella of Maryland; Jim Leach of Iowa; Amo Houghton of New York; John Hostettler of Indiana; and John Duncan of Tennessee -- joined 126 Democrats in voting against the resolution."

Source: http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/10/11/iraq.us/

Bush began the Iraq war, Obama is ending the Iraq war.

The United States has invested enough borrowed money in waging war, building an enormous military infrastructure in Iraq to support the war, and in rebuilding the destruction we have wreaked upon Iraq, to contribute greatly to our present dismal economic situation.

Dismantling that infrastructure and disengaging in Iraq is being done, but doing so also takes some time and considerable resources.

Disengaging in Iraq does not however eliminate the debt created by the war. This remains debt yet to be paid.

February Meeting of the Rockingham County Democratic Committee

Rockingham Democrats February Meeting!

Serving the residents of Rockingham County with a common sense approach to the Democratic ideals of Community, Individual Liberty, Fiscal Responsibility, and Quality of Life.

Date:	Thursday, February 18, 2010
Time:	7:00pm - 8:30pm
Location:	Rockingham County Government Complex - Supervisor's Meeting Room
Street:	20 East Gay Street
City/Town:	Harrisonburg, VA
	View Map

Topics:

Poultry Growers Fight For Fair Pay

One of the more under reported stories in our area is the financial hardship most poultry growers are facing. With their earnings basically flat for 25 years, an increasing number of growers have to work second jobs to make ends meet, or worse, face bankruptcy.

Mike Weaver, president of the Contract Poultry Growers Association of Virginia's will share his story of how he became involved with the growers association and the struggle to get a living wage for fellow poultry growers.

Mike lives in Fort Seybert, West Virginia and has been growing turkeys and chickens for almost nine years. Prior to his involvement with the growers’ association, Mike was a conservation officer for 14 years and a Special Agent for U.S. Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement for 20 years.

Service and Volunteerism in Our Community

Mr. Rich Harris, Director of Community Service Learning (CSL) at James Madison University, will talk about the needs for service in the surrounding area and the opportunities for individual and volunteer groups to serve right here in our own backyard.

It is the hope of the RCDC that we can begin a service initiative in the coming months that reflects the values and interests of the party while dedicating ourselves to our neighbors and the organizations that are the backbone of the civic engagement in our local area.

Come hear about these amazing opportunities and prepare to “suit up” and give back in the near future with your fellow Democrats.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Obama finally finds his Spine!

It seems that President Obama has made his way back from OZ where the Wizard gave him AND the lion some courage! He has finally learned that when you stand up to bullies then bullies back down. Kudos Mr. President! Continue...

Thursday, February 11, 2010

71% of Americans Believe Palin Un-qualified...

From a Wall Street Journal/NBC poll reported on July 29, 2009:

Two-thirds, 67%, said they don’t ever want the former Alaska governor to be president, compared with the 21% who said they would. Source

A poll conducted by the Washington Post/ABC and released today, February 11, 2010 finds that:

71% say Palin's unqualified to be president

Just 37 percent of Republicans hold a "strongly favorable opinion" of Palin in the poll, "about half" the thumbs-up recorded when she was chosen as the Republicans' 2008 vice presidential nominee.

Only 6 percent of Democrats and 29 percent of Independents feel Palin is qualified to be president. Source

Joe Biden, in his way of being right on things he's not supposed to be talking about, riffed last night on Sarah Palin, pretty much exactly matching the results of a poll today showing she no longer even has a majority of Republicans saying she's qualified to be president. Source

The poll also found Palin's approval rating at a new low, with just 37% holding a favorable opinion of her. Meanwhile, 55% of respondents have an unfavorable opinion of the former Alaska Governor. Source

Here is the official poll whitepaper release.

So if 71% of Americans have no faith in Sarah Palin's qualifications,...

Then who does?
Click on images for larger view

Do you support additional ways to establish new public charter schools in Virginia?
	Yes
	No
	I don't have enough information

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Should state govt. mandate the percentage of local public education funding used for classroom instruction compared to non-instructional services?
	Yes
	No
	I need more information to make an informed choice

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Do you believe students’ standardized test scores should be the basis for a teacher’s pay as opposed to the teacher’s years of experience?
	Yes
	No
	I need more information to make an informed choice
	The original question is very poorly worded and doesn't lend itself to a yes or no answer.

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Do you support giving local public school divisions greater flexibility in determining student-to-teacher ratios in the classroom?
	Yes
	No
	I need more information to make an informed choice

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Do you support the privitazation of Virginia's system of Alcoholic Beverage Control and dedicating the proceeds to transportation?
	Yes
	No
	I need more information

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Do you support the $700 Billion economic bailout package passed by Congress?
	Yes
	No

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Do you support efforts in the federal government to provide government paid health care to every uninsured Virginian?
	Yes
	No

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Should Virginia's Right-to-Work law be made a part of the State Constitution?
	Yes
	No

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Do you support the exploration of natural gas off the coastal water areas of Virginia?
	Yes
	No

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Do you support federal cap and trade legislation to reduce carbon emissions?
	Yes
	No
	I need more information

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Track the Money

Stimulus Under the Glass

Jim Webb US Senate Virginia

Mark Warner US Senate Virginia

Yes We Did!

But in Virginia in 2009, We Did Not

Free Mail to Marines

VA Wounded Warrior Program

Harrisonburg Based TBI Help

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