23 Democrats can't get off the hook

By now, everyone knows that yesterday the Republicans in congress passed a bill to authorize the President to use warrantless wiretaps to spy on us. The papers and democratic party leaders are saying that this was the result of a house that is controlled by the Republican majority. And if you look at the numbers 232-191 in favor of passage, it would appear that yes, this went down party lines and there is nothing that the Democrats could have done. Well you can ask the 18 democrats who voted in favor and the 6 who didn't vote at all if that truly is the case. If the leadership would have convinced the entire party to do the right thing this bill would be dead. 214-215 opposed should have been the outcome except that the following democrats think Bush Co. should be allowed to spy on you without warrants, and for basically as long as they want. Here is the list of those Democrats :
John Barrow Georgia-12th
226 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515-1012
Phone: (202) 225-2823
Melissa L. Bean Illinois-8th
512 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515-1308
Phone: (202) 225-3711
Marion Berry Arkansas-1s
2305 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-0401
Phone: (202) 225-4076
Dan Boren Oklahoma-2nd
216 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515-3602
Phone: (202) 225-2701
Leonard L. Boswell Iowa-3rd
1427 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515-1503
Phone: (202) 225-3806
Robert E. (Bud) Cramer Jr. Alabama-5th
2368 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-0105
Phone: (202) 225-4801
Henry Cuellar Texas-28th,
1404 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515-4328
Phone: (202) 225-1640
Lincoln Davis Tennessee-4th,
410 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515-4204
Phone: (202) 225-6831
Chet Edwards Texas-17th,
2264 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-4317
Phone: (202) 225-6105
Harold E. Ford Jr. Tennessee-9th
325 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515-4209
Phone: (202) 225-3265
Bart Gordon Tennessee-6th
2304 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-4206
Phone: (202) 225-4231
Stephanie Herseth South Dakota-At Large
331 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515-4101
Phone: (202) 225-2801
Jim Marshall Georgia-3rd
515 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515-1003
Phone: (202) 225-6531
Jim Matheson Utah-2nd
1222 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515-4402
Phone: (202) 225-3011
Charlie Melancon Louisiana-3rd
404 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515-1803
Phone: (202) 225-4031
Collin C. Peterson Minnesota-7th
2159 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-2307
Phone: (202) 225-2165
John M. Spratt Jr. South Carolina-5th
1401 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515-4005
Phone: (202) 225-5501
Gene Taylor Mississippi-4th
2311 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-2404
Phone: (202) 225-5772
And the 6 who didn't vote: Lane Evans (il), Luis Gutierrez (il), Lewis (GA), Martin Meehan (MA), Ted Strickland (oh), Bart Stupak (MI)

WAKE UP AMERICA! SOMEONE IS PROBABLY WATCHING YOU AND CONGRESS IS OKAY WITH IT, YOU SHOULD NOT BE OKAY WITH THAT!

We let them get away with this stuff?

I walked over (I'm too slow to surf) to Skippy's and noticed this crazy blurb about Newsweek dumbing down the U.S. version of the magazine cover. Throughout the rest of the world Newsweek features a cover with a title "Losing Afghanistan", but here in America home of the free press we get blessed with a cover entitled "My life in Pictures" featuring a story about Annie Leibovitz. Come on!! Do they think we can't handle a story about the truth? Is there an article somewhere in the magazine where Newsweek explains why the kid gloves are used with Americans? I know that Americans are way too in love with celebrities and it's a terrible shame the way we are apathetic and just lazy about world news and politics, and maybe I'm optimistic but I think more of us would like to read a story about what is going on in a country where we are fighting a war than read a story about a photographer.
I can't believe that this got me riled up, but I do believe the magazine is called "Newsweek". You would think that they would be comfortable reporting news and letting us know on the cover that that is their intention. Go here to see pictures of the cover.

Fighting the Good Fight

Yesterday was one of those days where it seems like things just tie in together. It started out with a sermon from my pastor about the how we will be remembered when we're gone. He read to us a scripture from the Book of 2 Timothy, in which Paul was reflecting back on his life. Paul knew he was to be executed and was writing about his life as a servant of Christ. Looking back Paul says, " I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith." Our pastor likes to finish with another story that relates and then tie in together to show that these messages still have relevance today. For me, meeting John Miller and talking to him a little today made this sermon all the more relevant.
You see John Miller is running for congress as a member of the Green Party in a district that is drawn to be traditionally Republican. And he's running against incumbent Devin Nunes at a time when reelection rates for House members are between 96 and 98 percent. John was hosting a Green Party booth at the Tulare County Fair when I met him today. He looked and sounded somewhat tired, understandable seeing as how he had been there 5 days trying to get the word out about his candidacy and about the party. Not to mention he teaches kindergarten in Porterville. Yes, I purposely used the bold font, it's a room full of 5 year olds. That should be enough on one man's plate.
I started thinking about where he's finding the time and energy to run a campaign that realistically the odds are just against. It would be very tough to convince a person to do what he's doing. To go out in public and speak out for the issues that matter and that you believe in, knowing that most of the very people you want to help won't even be listening is a hard task to sell. And to do that while maintaining a normal life is just asking too much.
Yet here we are less than two months away from election day and John Roger Miller is fighting the good fight. He's up against the GOP machine with little financial support trying to change the status quo. When it's all over and we look back we'll know that he fought the good fight, he completed the race, and kept the faith. And for that we should all be thankful and wish that more of us had the same strength.